A visual trek across the colour spectrum

colour, Colourville, photobook,
Bedford, Nova Scotia, 2017 – © Avard Woolaver

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Colourville, photobook, colour,
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

I’ve always been amazed at how images, like words, can convey so much emotion. I have always thought of black and white photography as an abstract medium and colour photography as a psychological medium. American photographer Elliot Erwitt said, “With colour you describe; with black and white you interpret.” If it’s true that colour appeals to our emotion and leaves less to our imagination, then it makes sense for us to be judicious in using it.

This can have a lot to do with how the photo is framed—how much of a particular colour, or colours to leave in or crop out.  When I view a scene, then, I look for ways to combine colours–for me, it’s about balance. Sometimes a tiny splash of red is enough to counteract a sea of green, or a little orange goes well with a lot of blue. There are no hard and fast rules here, but the conscious combining of colour is something I keep in mind when I’m out with my camera.

The photos in this post are from my new book Colourville. In this book I take a visual trek across the colour spectrum following the colours on the rainbow flag seen above. Violet to indigo, to blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and finally grey. It is my hope that the photos are interesting on their own, without the colour connections. They are a glimpse into Colourville—a marvellous place.

Violet:

colour, Colourville, photobook, violet,
Newport, Nova Scotia, 2010 – © Avard Woolaver

Indigo:

colour, Colourville, photobook, indigo,
Newport, Nova Scotia, 2015 – © Avard Woolaver

Blue:

colour, Colourville, photobook, blue,
Newport, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Green:

colour, Colourville, photobook, green,
Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Yellow:

colour, Colourville, photobook, yellow,
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Orange:

colour, Colourville, photobook, orange,
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Red:

colour, Colourville, photobook, red,
Scotch Village, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Pink:

colour, Colourville, photobook, pink,
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, 2018 – © Avard Woolaver

Grey:

colour, Colourville, photobook, grey,
Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, 2016 – © Avard Woolaver

Colourville is available through Blurb Books.

One Comment

  1. Pavel P. said:

    eye candy

    June 21, 2019

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