As a photographer, color is significant. It can make or break your photos. It can convey the mood and message of the photo and to fully understand color can take some time to understand. This leads to Color Theory which is pretty much understanding how colors interact with each other. Understanding what works best with each other and what doesn’t. That is the easiest way I can explain it lol. Check below for a better explanation.
Color Wheel
Color theory is both the science and art of using color. It explains how humans perceive color; and the visual effects of how colors mix, match or contrast with each other. Color theory also involves the messages colors communicate; and the methods used to replicate color.
This post is to explain the importance of understanding color when is comes to photography and its importance to me. Too many times I’ve been told and seen with my own eyes how much white photographers suck at photographing black people. You can tell something is off or when the lighting isn’t flattering to their skin tone. Sadly, it’s nothing new with white people when it comes to photographing us.
So in my journey as a photographer, there have been specific techniques I always said I would learn and at some point or another I didn’t lol. Don’t judge me but I put it on the back burner because I didn’t see the need to learn it at that time because I believed I didn’t need to apply it yet. One of those things was Color Theory and the device to measure color, the color checker passport. The color checker passport is a foldable book with a gray and white card on one side and a bunch of color patches on the other. I would use the gray and white card to measure and calculate the correct white balance. I wanted to start with a great foundation for my photos to look the best. I never touched the color checker because I didn’t learn how to use it and never felt like I needed to learn at that moment. That all changed when I ended up assisting one of my favorite photographers Jessy J!
Sidebar, I love her work. I love the way her colors pop and the retouching of her work. The smooth skin with the color transitions is so crisp and clean. I emulated her style and wanted to have that same clarity and understanding of color. Eventually I ended up assisting Jessy J (spoke that shit into existence!!) and I saw her use the color checker passport and asked why she used it. “To get the accurate color of her models”was her response. Then it all clicked for me! I needed to start using the color checker and really understand Color Theory. Not just for my photography but for my clients.
The majority of my work is with people of color. So, for me, it is very important that I capture their true self. It was about making sure my clients in their true skin color because who else is going to make sure we look our best selves? A white photographer? Barely. Only one of our own will take such care of us and make sure we look our best. As a Black photographer that’s what I aim to do.
So I went to YouTube, and found a few videos that explain how to properly utilize this tool and now it’s part of my process. Before every shoot I place the color checker in front of my client and when I go through my retouching process I start with a true foundation in terms of the correct color. From there I add my creative touches but it all starts from a strong color foundation.
End of the day I just want us to look our best and now with this new skillset I can!!