The use of Color

life guard stand Copyright 2009 Bryan Moore

I hope every one has a great 4th of July and is able to get away from the run of daily life.  This picture was taken on my dads 50th birthday.  He had wanted to spend it out in Martha’s vineyard.  It was a picturesque island, I felt I saw allot of what you dream of as the perfect sight of east coast America.  This was right on one of the beaches there. A beautiful sky  with that long beach grass and those old wooded slat fences  to break the wind.  This was the life guard tower and I just lover the colors in this picture all very basic color but in strong simple  shapes.  If you look just to the upper right of the guard tower there is a old bi plane flying by which from this distance almost looks like a fly.

I have been shooting mostly Black and White picture  when I am out with my real camera, and have been asked several occasion if and why I don’t shoot more color images.  When ever  I am out I always carry 2 film backs one with color and one with black and white.  The reason I shoot mostly black and white images is because I think my first responsibility  is to create a great image and that starts with great composition and a focus on the subject.  Shooting in color adds another element  to the shot that I don’t feel is always necessary.  If I am looking at something the question  is do the colors add more to the picture?  because if they don’t add to the picture than  they could hurt the image it.    Some pictures really call for color and just like any other artist  when you use color you need to think of the palette.  when I shoot color I try to make sure those colors work together to make a great image.