"That red light means stop." The Power of Red in Photo Composition

The color red is magic in a photo.  The human eye is naturally drawn to it and hence it becomes an element in the composition.  This is a short lesson on how to give your photos some pop with the color red.

Acadia National Park

There were actually two red leaves hanging from this tree in Acadia National Park.  I pinched one leaf off remembering that one is better than two.  I also moved around until I got the dark background and composition just right.  There is no doubt about what get's your attention.

If you look at an artist's color wheel you will notice complimentary colors are next to each other and contrasting colors are on the opposite side. Colors evoke an emotional response in us and symbolically represented some human emotion or condition; purple-royality, green-go or nature, blue-truth, red-passion, blood, life.  It is also a warning of danger and demands our attention.

Imagine coming up to an intersection and you see a green stop sign or the light changes from amber to blue and everyone stops.  I don't think so.  Red is a stop sign, a red light, a warning.  We stop and look.  You can produce the same reaction from the viewers of your photographs when you use red as an element.

                Empress Hotel, Victoria, B.C., Canada

Spawning Sockeye Samon, Anchorage, Alaska 

Look for the color red in your potential photographs and use it.  Your viewers will stop and look and maybe buy if you're selling.