It’s taking me a while to go through all the photos I took while I was in California at the start of the year. Rather than wait until I’m completely finished, I’ve posted some of them in my gallery and will add to it later. I’ve also increased the sizes of all the images there. Share and Enjoy!
For the most part, it isn’t the eye that “sees” color. It’s the brain. Perhaps that it is why fantastic color is so pleasing. And when it comes to fantastic color, there is just no competing with Mother Nature.
Of course, as soon as you put a frame around it, the image loses something. I remember this moment quite well — I was sitting on an island beach with my new wife when I triggered the shutter. It was probably the most beautiful sunset of our two weeks in Greece, including those we saw in Santorini which is known for fabulous sunsets. I believe this image to be beautiful, but I’m also somewhat biased as I see it as I did then… without borders and my new love at my side.
If color stimulates the brain directly, what about something that stimulates in indirectly? Imagination, for example. It’s this that creates vivid dreams and makes appealing things like naughty on-line chat rooms. Imagination is often better than reality, and why not? There’s no limits to our imagination. As long as one doesn’t live there, it’s a great place for frequent visits.
Look at this image closely. How do you know that the walls are white, the stains are brown, the grass is green, and the little stripe at the top of the hull is blue? Your imagination fills in all the details. Unlike the color image above where you take it in all at once, this one draws the eye all around. Every place you look, you see more that what is there. There is color, but it’s like an overlay; it’s not there and yet you see it anyway.
Go on… Click on the image to see a larger version. Take a look around.
Now I’ll admit, I cheated. The image of the boat isn’t truly colorless. It’s 90% desaturated so you can’t actually see the color, but there is enough present to hint to the mind what it should be. Perhaps a child wouldn’t need it, but I find the imaginations of us adults sometimes need just a little push to get going. Could it be that we don’t use it enough?
The subtle colors in nature are amazing to be sure. Lately I have been drawn to vibrant color like a Black Swallowtail butterfly on a huge Lily in my wife’s garden.
Your perspective on black-and-white (or 90% desaturated color) is interesting. Personally, I didn;t begin to imagine the colors on the boat until I read your suggestions in the post. I wonder if there is something about having known them in advance at work?
In any case, I’m anxious to see more of the work you did on your travels.
Hi Brian
I like your perspectibe you lend to the panoramic views. But I can see your colors are over saturated.
Are these images in the original colors or you have worked on them ??
The greens in most of your pictures are over saturated I think