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Intensity

Colour photography is as the name implies all about, well, colour which as you would expect has a major influence in its own right on the composition - the look, feel, form, subject relationships - of the final photograph and the emotional connection of the viewer to it.

One of the major characteristics of the colours in a photograph, which influence the feeling and mood, is their intensity 

(usually expressed as the degree to which they differ from white) which is also often referred to as their colour saturation. Sometimes this can be expressed individually more subjectively e.g. "The sky was an intense deep blue" or "The flower was a delicate pastel shade of yellow".

The colour palette used by the photographer contributes significantly to giving a picture a certain look and feel which helps them develop their own signature style. It is similar in some degree to the choice of medium of the painter; watercolour, gouache, tempera, ink, acrylic, oils... all having a significant outcome on final look and feel of the work of the artist and thus the visual experience of the viewer thereof.

 

Similarly, many photographers develop a signature look or style to their work over the years as they progress in their craft. Some are masters of the understated, low key, almost colourless image. Others are masters of the high key, super saturated, highly coloured image. Others again like to juxtapose one against the other - e.g. putting one saturated object against a virtually colourless or desaturated background say. There are also those who prefer natural colours, with images reflecting "reality" as closely as possible. Yet again, others love to experiment and are constantly mixing and matching as the mood takes them and their subjects may suggest.

For myself I cut my teeth, so to speak, on the good old super saturated, slow slide films like Fuji Velvia 50. So I am mostly aligned with the high intensity colour school, as you can see from my pictures above. Mind you, this is not always the case as there are as ever exceptions to every rule. Certain subjects can suggest a more subtle rendition depending on the feelings I wish to invoke or the message I wish to convey. On the whole, however, I love colour and my photographic style in this particular respect can be mostly be describes as intense. Now, do you dream in colour?

✧ Jokul Frosti ✧

A space containing the thoughts, experiences, photos and collected curiosities of a walkabout photographer with a snapshot style.