Color has been used in art to elicit specific emotions, depict a particular mood, and portray things in realistic detail. Even though light is the most talked about aspect of photography, our emotional response to a photograph is strongly influenced by its predominant colors.

Color theory is the art of creating pleasing combinations of colors known as color harmonies that evoke the desired mood or accurately express what you want to say with your art. Visual artists take the help of a color wheel to choose the right colors for their artwork.

Complimentary Colors

The colors that are opposite each other on the wheel are complementary colors. Some examples of complementary harmonies are red and green, yellow and purple, and orange and blue. Complementary colors are challenging to use effectively, especially if you’re new to photo editing, because these combinations have very high contrast. You can use this harmony to pinpoint the viewer’s attention to your subject. However, be mindful of overusing it as these colors can appear too loud in photos.

Neutral Colors

These are the balancing forces in photography. They can evoke feelings of simplicity, elegance, or even mystery. Neutral colors can be used to focus attention, create contrast, or set a subdued mood without overwhelming the viewer with strong emotional cues. Neutrals are easy to coordinate, flattering, and timeless.

Analogous

Analogous colors sit next to each another on the color wheel. These are the colors that have some similarities between them yet are different. An analogous color scheme brings a flow and balance to your photos. Primarily, there are three colors in an analogous harmony, though you can have a minimum of two and up to five colors. A few examples of the analogous scheme are [yellow-green, green, yellow-orange], [blue, blue-green, green], [red-orange, red, red-violet], and [blue, blue-violet, violet].

Monochromatic

Monochromatic colors are a single hue’s various tints, shades, and tones. Depending on the intensity of the neutral colors (black, white, and gray) you add to a base hue, you can generate a wide variety of tints, shades, and tones. These create a monochromatic harmony. A monochromatic color scheme creates a sense of oneness in photos and makes them easy on the eyes of the viewer.

GREYSCALE

A classic colourway - that is, in fact, entirely void of 'colour' - black and white is timeless and neutral without ever feeling dull. Mixing up patterns and textures is the best way to make these clinical hues feel modern and fun.