Literary recommendation: the secrets of color in photography (Bryan Peterson)

In this literary recommendation, we will talk about the secrets of color in photography from the hand of Bryan Peterson, a well-known photographer who defines himself as a color photographer.

Color is what drives him to take pictures, and the linchpin of every photographic decision he makes. One only has to take a look at his images to see that this is really the case. He is a genius of color and, until now, he had never written anything on the subject.

So we’re in luck, finally, a work entirely dedicated to color in depth. I present The secrets of color in photography. The use of color, composition, and exposure in creating vivid photographs.

The secrets of color in photography is ideal for…

This book is ideal for anyone who wants to understand and handle color from its very essence. That is to say, you will work the color from the camera itself, from the same stage. Through light, exposure, white balance, or composition.

It is not about learning to edit the color but to get a spectacular image from the camera itself, just as, until the arrival of digital photography, we did with analog cameras.

Consequently, you will find a very complete book with detailed information about color, with tricks to help you see in color, to expose correctly, to compose through its complements, its visual weight, etc.

The secrets of color in photography

The use of color, composition, and exposure in creating vivid photographs

This book is based on an introduction and 4 main themes:

• Introduction
• Light, exposure and color
• Color and composition
• color and atmosphere
• Using tools to enhance color

Let’s see them in more detail.

Introduction

In the introduction, Bryan Peterson talks briefly about how he came to color, what drives him to take pictures, and how this book will teach you to see in color and achieve your own vision.

His photographic vision comes from within him and is of vital importance to his artistic way of creating images. As an artist, you are solely responsible for your vision, the sole owner of the creative process.

Bryan Peterson

Light, exposure and color

In this chapter you will learn aspects such as how light influences color, how to get correct exposure, white balance and color temperature, or how to capture realistic skin tones.

Color and composition

In this complete chapter, topics such as how to use color to create impactful images will be covered, you will know what the color wheel is, what additive or subtractive colors are and how to use them.

It will also deal with complementary colors, analogous colors, monochromatic colors on the color wheel, or issues such as color, visual weight, etc.

color and atmosphere

In this chapter, the author will deal with the psychology of color. You will see one by one the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, white and black. What each color symbolizes, if they advance or retreat, what are their complements, etc.

Using tools to enhance color

Although it is not a book on color editing, because the objective of it is to achieve the perfect image on-siteit does dedicate a small section to color editing in Photoshop, where you can learn four brushstrokes to improve your image.

Details

About the Author

Other posts by Bryan Peterson

The best

As is usual with this author, it is a very didactic and easy to read, based on simple (not simple) and synthesized explanations. In it nothing is superfluous.

It also stands out from this book that it has a very visual format, with large and quality images and that the pages have a photographic finish, as I like photography books to be;).

You also have numerous examples and tricks and it is of a good size, which allows you to enjoy the photographs but at the same time it is not a heavy format.

Worst

There is no worse if you know what you are looking for in a color book. If you are looking for a book on color editing and retouching, this is not the book for you as it barely touches on the subject.

Conclusions

In short, this is an essential photography book for those who want to immerse themselves in the essence of color, learn to see in color and to have the image before even thinking about taking out the camera.

With him you will learn to squeeze the contrasts, the complementary colors, the psychology that each of them is associated with. When you learn to see in color, nothing will be the same ;).

I hope you have found this review useful, if you liked it and you think that someone else might be interested in knowing it, do not hesitate to share it on your favorite social networks 🙂 See you in the next article.