Color Combination in photo coloring techniques is very essential to know by the photographers. If we are talking about coloring; “color wheel” theory is an easy reference to use. The contrast colors are colors in the opposite direction in the color wheel. But colors which position are contiguous in the color wheel; will create harmonious color or soft color combination. So what about combining colors which positions are neither in the opposite direction nor contiguous in the color wheel theory?

We can find lots of photographs which color combination are not good in the printing form result; but the reality their existence in the nature draws attention. It’s strange right?

See also Soft photo coloring and Contrast photo coloring.

All color combination we found in nature; they look beautiful and appealing. Have a look at the red flower (positioned in one of the point of powers of the rules of thirds theory) and green leaves in the photo below; they look beautiful and appealing. But when you wear a green shirt and combined with red trousers; what do you think? Well it depends on individual preference; style trend; culture and skin color. Honestly; I don’t like that color combination especially the red trousers. But when the nature provides that color combination; they look beautiful and I believe that everyone will love it.

In the above photo example, a red flower among green leaves creates a contrast. The color combination creates a wonderful contrast color. However, the image was edited in the computer and modified with a green banner and ….. Red notes….!! Well, this is the problem. The green frame with red notes color combination creates an inconvenience nuance for the viewers.

This example shows that an effort to create an impressive contrast color combination needs to be done. So a color wheel theory is a reference tool for coloring techniques but an effort needed to create an impressive color combination.

Let’s have a look at the above photo, a color combination consists of pink; orange and red – it looks wonderful. But the background also has the same color combination pink; red and orange and the portion is also large enough. Both the model and the background are struggling with each other to draw the attention; the point of interest is not explicit, not clear. The color combination between the main subject and the background failed to create contrast; it cannot accentuate the main object. Unfortunately this situation was just realized when reviewing the photograph in the computer monitor or in the printing form. Well it’s too late; redoing photography will take time and effort. So the only solution is editing the image in the computer by using image editing tool such as Adobe Photoshop.

See also: photography background – how to trick the exposure.

One of the options is to make the main object looks explicit by creating a contrast between the main object and the background. Magnetic lasso tools in Adobe Photoshop can be used to separate the object and the background and assure that separation must be done as softly and as precisely as possible. After that, by applying channel mixer, the red channel can be reduced to create a cyan color. Technical detail working with Photoshop is not cover in this article.

By using Photoshop, subject and background are separated

The main object looks explicit now, and the background becomes contrast to the model. This way the contrast color combination can separate the object and the background and both are not struggling with each other to draw the attention. The model as the main object is now isolated from the background and becomes explicit.

Suggested readings:

• Photography flashing techniques – need to know the Guide no
• Basic Photography exposure techniques
• Photography composition technique