Every time I go out for a photo shoot, I love to include as much color and as daring as possible. Color is more important to our worlds than we think and is often taken for granted. Although monochrome photos are great, there is more to color photography than we think. A few learned techniques will add a dramatic dimension to your images.

As with all photography, you should always think before you take a picture. Take time to reflect on the scene and figure out what works in the composition. See what colors are available and where they are, how much color to include, and how to use it. By applying some simple techniques, your images will be admired and will result in great satisfaction for you.

1. Wear a single color

This is a great technique for bold photography. By isolating a color, or at least making it the dominant color, you create bold and dramatic images. The key to this is to find objects or scenes that are all one color but make an effective composition. Get closer to your subjects by isolating yourself from your surroundings and making color the focal point.

2. See the light

When shooting in color, a simple change in light can result in a very different image. A sudden change in cloud cover will enrich colors and make them appear more saturated. When you photograph in the morning or afternoon, they will look warmer and when the sun is higher, they will look cooler. Shooting in bright shade will also make them look richer. Therefore, always keep an eye on the quality of light and know what times of the day give you the best results.

3. Color saturation

That’s how rich or deep the colors seem to be. Well-saturated colors appear bright and make for really colorful images, which is what you want to achieve most of the time. Doing this in-camera is pretty simple, but you have to be careful not to overdo it. By using your aperture compensation usually denoted by the Ev setting on your camera, you can slightly underexpose the photo by between a third and a half stop. This will increase your saturation. However, too much will make the final image dark and muddy. With digital photography you can also adjust the saturation using the slider in Photoshop.

4. Contrasting colors

By knowing your color wheel and where the different colors are, you will see that colors opposite each other contrast. When creating a colorful photo, look for contrasting colors next to each other in the scene. Be careful that one doesn’t overpower the other, so shoot in strong light. You want the colors to grab attention like a bright red subject against a bright green background.

5. Complementary colors

These colors make others look good. They lie next to each other on the color wheel and somewhat harmonize. This type of image is very easy on the eye, as you’ll see in a green scene with a bright yellow subject. Try to find different shades of the same color, which is basically the dominant color that blends into the color next to it.

6. Colliding Colors

These are never to be used together, or so the rules say. But we all like to break the rules, so give it a try and see if it works. Sometimes they will, and the result can be a striking image. Experimenting will always bring surprises, so don’t be afraid to try it.

The world of color is a superior source of great images and if you use it while learning digital photography, you will create great images. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas. Break out of the traditional mold and find out what works for you.