Everyone has photos that are perfect for colour accent edits, learn how to do it here.
Colour Accent
Bonjour maidmoselle as the owner of the fruit & vegetable stall greeted the young lady looking to purchase some fresh produce. This opening sentence is nothing out of the ordinary except for the 2 French words oddly out of place in an English sentence, and this displacement is the key success for colour accents in a black & white photo.
The most popular example of this display is a picture taken of the Eiffel Tower where everything is in black & white except for the bright red umbrella the elegant lady is holding, this visual draws your attention to the only object radiating colour and we haven’t even started appreciating the beautiful landmark in the background.
The key is to have vibrant colours that suit the scene, Paris is known for the city of romance so red is a perfect colour match while everything else in the picture is black & white including the recently purchased fruit the lady is also holding.
Why Use this edit?
A colour accent edit can produce a powerful visual effect when successfully applied, the persona of the photo transforms and becomes a completely new image. The colour accent can be either a particular colour or subject with one or multiple colours as the focal point. There are 2 main factors responsible for the success in the reimagined visual.
Juxtaposition: a black & white background can create a dramatic effect and by pairing this with for instance a pink ballon that is the only coloured object a strong juxtaposition is created between the coloured balloon and colourless background. This sharp contrast can leave the viewer bewildered and amazed.
This would be the equivalent of eating something that is sweet but also sour and the colliding of the two worlds creates a new atmospheric flavour.
Retelling a story: picture an action movie where the hero has saved the city from destruction and the civilians are applauding the hero for his/her efforts, now if we remove all the colour and apply colour to the little boy who is now happy his fears are in the past, the focus shifts from the hero and the narrative redirects to putting ourselves in the boy's shoes and how he feels. This visual edit has created a new story through the power of colour.
Creating A colour accent In Lightroom
A simple colour accent edit can be completed in Lightroom, the benefit of Lightroom is the mobile and tablet version is free (at the time this article is being written) which is great for smartphone users or casual photographers. The more complex edits where the object has multiple colours Photoshop would be the better software choice.
Creating A colour accent in Photoshop
Colour accent edits that involves an object with a variety of colours is better suited for Photoshop as the layers feature streamlines the process, this tutorial will guide you through completing the edit from start to finish.
Top 4. Colour Accent Examples
4. Red
"With a smile that glowed celestial rosy red, love's proper hue" - John Milton
The colour red is tailored made for a colour accent, the colour visually stands out in comparison to others - for instance red lipstic, red Ferrari, a fire hydrant is coloured red for greater visibility, and no flower can steal the spotlight away from a beautiful red rose.
The colour red has great versatility in its application as it represents many different emotions and feelings, .i.e. romance, danger, bravery, dominance, and joy.
3. Clothing
"I want people to see the dress, but focus on the woman" - Vera Wang
Humans may not have the natural flamboyant beauty of a peacock, however clothing helps to provide that exterior array of colours that is only reserved for the elite models of nature.
When a peacock spreads its feathers everything around it becomes secondary and the focus is on its collection of feathers, a colour accent on clothing serves the same purpose. The garments essence is on full display for all to appreciate, however in the words of Vera Wang it's important to not forget the focus on the woman in the photo above as the clothes are only brought to life by the person wearing them.
2. Eyes For you
"The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter" - Marcus Tullius Cicero
The human eye is the only body part that has the potential to be coloured with a cocktail of pigmentations. The eye is often referred to as the window of the human soul. This makes our eyes the perfect subject to absorb all the limelight from a photographic and practical standpoint.
Given no two humans have the exact same eye colour it acts as a person's own beauty thumb print. This distinctively provides a personable touch to the overall photo.
1. Umbrellas
"An open umbrella is just a closed beautiful sky" - Xavier Forneret
A person leaving their house while snatching the umbrella from the coat rack hanging out near the front door would not think twice about the umbrella, however when the umbrella is captured in a photo its roots and origins quietly emerge.
Umbrellas were initially reserved for royalty and the upper class in ancient Egypt. Umbrellas & parasols are known to symbolise power, prestige, fashion, and femininity. In a still photo the elegance of the umbrella becomes more apparent and can provide a subtle goddess effect much like it did in the past.
This makes umbrellas the ideal object for a colour accent edit whether the sky is radiating sunshine or endless raindrops, in the end there is nothing wrong with looking like royalty!
Thank you for your time and effort :)
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