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How to use a color wheel to make your food photography stand out
Jul. 11, 2020 1:00 pm, Updated: Jul. 12, 2020 2:55 pm
When you're photographing food at home, you have full control over the way things are arranged — the fabrics, textures and props you want to use.
It can be helpful to use a color wheel for ideas if you feel overwhelmed trying to come up with a creative color combination. Food photography is heavily influenced by what's current in design, and the color wheel is a tool designers and artists constantly rely on for a creative boost.
A rainbow is its simplest form: red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, violet, red-violet.
Here are two common color schemes derived from the wheel. Try making your own color wheel and monochromatic and analogous color compositions from foods and plants around your house. A color wheel of fruits and vegetables is seen on Monday, July 6, 2020. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
A simple monochromatic color scheme involves objects that are the same color, in this case yellow. Try varying the shade of yellow you use to create even more contrast. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
An analogous color scheme integrates colors found next to each other on the color wheel, such as this yellow-green fabric and aqua plate. Common analogous schemes include red-orange-yellow (warm colors) and blue-green-blue-violet (cool colors). (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Analogous color schemes can involve different shades, as seen in the brightly hued yellow against a deep green background. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Here, the less-saturated blue-grey plate rounds out the trio of analogous colors. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
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