Lens Tips

Color often establishes the mood of a photograph, whether it’s bold or subdued. Green is cool and refreshing, while red on the other hand, is fiery and passionate.

This silhouetted figure of a child is especially striking against a bold green backdrop. Reader photo by Stan Kaufman, Bayville, NY

If you want to emphasize a particular color in a picture, keep in mind that some of the most pleasing color photos are ones in which one color or a group of closely related hues dominates the picture. For example, you may want to capture the varying shades of outdoor greenery, or zoom in on a decorative display on St. Patrick’s Day. With framing and a good camera angle, you can draw attention to a small, but brightly colored subject in a scene, such as a grasshopper on flower petals.

Bright green walls serve as a framing element for the wrought-iron chair. Reader Photo by Jayne Ruiz, Dearborn, MI

Although foliage seems like one of the most obvious subjects to depict the color green, consider taking pictures of some more-challenging, less-photographed concepts, like zooming in on water droplets to create an abstract, or to show the harmony between shades of green.

Out-of-focus greenery in the background emphasizes this bee close-up. Reader photo by Andrew Romaneschi, Honolulu, HI

Readers are encouraged to submit photos to our monthly Point & Shoot HomeWork Assignment feature. Please see the table of contents in our magazine for the location of the entry coupon, which lists topics and more details.

Top right: Reflective water droplets make for an interesting abstract. Reader photo by James B. Bitten, Hamburg, NY	The photographer framed this array of foliage for a very pleasing composition. Reader photo by Margaret L. Donleycott, Everett, WA

Due to overwhelming response, we are unable to return images submitted for our monthly Homework Assignment. Therefore, please do not send original negatives or transparencies.