Using Contrast in your next nashville portrait session.

Let’s talk about contrast. Contrast is more than a slider in your photo editing software. The human eye can perceive contrast for sharpness as well as make an image more satisfying to the eye.

PRO TIP:

Use the color wheel at the end of this post as a “cheat code”. Using a #ColorWheel is easy, just coordinate colors by using colors that are as far away from each other on the wheel as possible, just don’t overthink it.

Image 1: Blues and yellows mixed with darks/blacks. This is handy because it almost falls into the teal and orange rule that is used in cinema.

Image 2: Blues and Reds. Getting closer to each other on the color wheel, so some contrast is lost, but still effective because they aren’t in the same bracket of the wheel.

Image 3: purples and the natural blonde wood color as well as the skin tones pair well with @abbycramond’s dark hair color. Purple and yellow are great because their distance from each other on the wheel.

Image 4: proof that contrast is color, sure. However contrast can also be an environmental matter. Mixing things that don’t together, like a living room and a bathtub, accompanied by the massive amounts of lemons, and some Paramore-esk looking make up with @brandothecommando_ really adds some nice touches. So yes color, but opposites attract in all regards.

Image 5: Sometimes you don’t have an option for a ton of contrasting colors, so you just have to embrace it and use contrast amongst objects in the photo, as mentioned above. Obviously, some of these things aren’t supposed to be in this environment, and that’s the point.

Contrast is Key

Really taking the time to understand how contrast affects an image is a great, and important practice. The use of contrast is a great way to make you stand out as a photographer or model in the Nashville area. Remember kids, contrast is more than a slider in Lightroom.