There are many different uses of color in photography. In our digital age, we can use programs such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop Elements, and Gimp as well as online programs, to enhance, adjust or remove color all together. With these programs you can turn a normal beautiful photo black and white, sepia, antique, or pinpoint one color, called selective color. This is a whole new world to photographers.

Full Color

Full Color

Color: Color is very important in most photographs. A child with beautiful pink lips, big blue eyes and soft rosy cheeks screams for color. Color is all around us. Kids love color and often look great surrounded by color but at times it can take over the photo. There are many times when we want to see the child and not the bright purple flowers behind the child. Adjusting your aperture down, you can use the color without taking away from the child.

Black and White, using settings in Canon XSi menu

Black and White, using camera settings

Black and White: Most Digital cameras, SLR or point

and shoot, have a function to select black and white right in them.This is also called Greyscale. This is a feature that is often over looked but can produce some brilliant photography. With black and white you are removing and bright distractions away from your main focus. I really encourage everyone to try their hand a few black and white photos. If you are like me, you will be hooked! You can also use the aforementioned programs to adjust a color photo to black and white.

Sepia and Antique: This is another feature that may be in your camera’s menu. Sepia turns your photo into a brownish color where as Antique merely tones the color down to a faded look. Both are great when trying to give you photography an old timely feel. If you have Photoshop, you can download actions that will automatically give your photo a vintage look. You can also do this manually by adjusting the hue and saturation in your camera or in other editing programs.

Sepia using photoshop downloadable action

Sepia using photoshop downloadable action

Antique using Photoshop downloadable action

Antique using Photoshop downloadable action

Selective Color using Paint Shop Pro

Selective Color using Paint Shop Pro

Selective Color: Selective color is a cross between full color and black and white. By removing the color in most of the photograph and leaving only small part in color, it will really make the photo pop. This is perfect for a child holding a red rose or a close up with their bright blue eyes shining through.

The world is just waiting to be captured and at times, edited. Don’t limit yourself to raw photos straight out of the camera.

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