| is the third in my series of articles about choosing the | | | | feelings evoked in the viewer. But how can the |
| best studio photographer. I speak from experience | | | | studio photographer take control of this. The general |
| both as a customer and a teacher of photographic | | | | answer to this is that it takes both preplanning and a |
| techniques. Having researched your potential studio | | | | little skill in digital editing. The photographer will be |
| photographers’ skills in the sphere of | | | | experienced in the different psychological effects of |
| composition, you now need to check his/her abilities | | | | the possible colour content of the family photograph. |
| in the control of colour and light. | | | | When planning a studio photography session an |
| Whole books have been written on the subject of | | | | experienced photographer will advise the client to |
| colour. Colour has a strong emotional effect on | | | | choose a simple colour range for the families clothing. |
| its’ viewer this statement is unequivocal. And | | | | When the family actually turns up for the shoot the |
| that’s where the agreement ends. The | | | | photographer needs to make some on the fly |
| physiological effects of colour are not contentious | | | | decisions on colour elements to added or removed |
| but how to combine them within the field of family | | | | within the space in which this family will need to be |
| photography is. Certain colours can raise your blood | | | | given their photographic context. |
| pressure, increase your rate of breathing as well as | | | | Red is universally recognized as being associated with |
| you heart rate. These physical responses are caused | | | | blood. This can be used to engender warm emotions. |
| by the release of the hormone epinephrine. When we | | | | It can be used to good effect within family |
| talk about colour, we are generally bundling together | | | | photography. Clever use of contrast between a |
| two separate elements, value and hue. Hue is an | | | | strong red and a white can give a warm emotional |
| individual spot within the spectrum of colours that | | | | feel to the photo whilst giving a modern style to the |
| constitute the rainbow. A colour is actually a | | | | whole composition. Yellow is an optimistic joyous |
| combination of hue and value. Value is the relative | | | | colour, that when over used can quickly become |
| lightness or darkness of the hue which makes up | | | | overwhelming, and hence produce a negative reaction |
| what we call colours. | | | | in the viewer. Green is natural and calming but can |
| Combined with the emotional response caused by our | | | | easily led to sallow skin tones if not subtly lit. Blue is |
| perception of colour, the contrast of the values has | | | | cool and easy to incorporate in flattering the subject. |
| also to be put into the mix. Similar values can actually | | | | Again over use of the one colour and have negative |
| represent contrasting colours. When hue is removed, | | | | overtones, i.e. of coolness. Violet is fun and fanciful, |
| i.e. in black and white photography, this factor has to | | | | over use will however produce somber emotions. |
| be considered. A photograph can be completely | | | | A good family photographer will present the |
| transformed when printed without hue. Different | | | | customer with a good range of both colour and black |
| elements of the image will come to fore. Areas of | | | | and white family photographs. These family |
| the photograph with similar values, i.e. lightness or | | | | photographs should also represent a range of |
| darkness, will tend to merge or flatten, whilst those | | | | different compositional styles. From these a customer |
| areas with widely different values will be contrasting, | | | | will be able to communicate more successfully what |
| or stand out. The eye given such information will be | | | | their particular requirements are. Often these |
| drawn to the area of high contrast. This is, in part, | | | | requirements may well be a mix and match between |
| why photographs can have a very different focus | | | | more than on of these example family photographs. |
| and emotional effect dependent of whether they are | | | | A true professional studio family photographer will be |
| presented in colour or black and white. | | | | able to integrate these requirements into their own |
| The colours used in the photograph will effect the | | | | unique instance of a family photograph. |