Eye

August 7, 2023

By Hillary Grigonis

As a color found both in nature and on the white balance slider, the color blue can be challenging to work with. But, when captured successfully, blue lends a cool feel to a photograph and often meshes well with other colors. This week, we feature five images that highlight blue from photographers Antoine Violleau, Brett Denfeld, Gail Secker, Lindsay Ann Snyder, and Stacy Garfield.

In a series of photographs of a family inspired by Harcourt’s signature style, French photographer Antoine Violleau of Antoine Violleau Photographe used several flashes to sculpt the face and bring out details in the clothing. For this shot, the flashes were modified with MagGrids from Magmod, while another flash modified with a MagMod snoot added a detail to the backdrop. He captured the shot using the Sony a7R IV and Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS lens.

“I asked each family member to strike a precise pose to reach the image I wanted to make,” he said. “Harcourt portrait is about making the portrait the photographer sees looking at the person in front of him. I used light to sculpt their body and face.”

Wedding photographer Brett Denfeld of Brett Denfeld Photography is often inspired by her couples and their style. For this detail shot, Denfeld found inspiration in the blue velvet ring boxes and extra stems from the florist. She captured the shot with the Canon R6 and a 100mm lens.

“I absolutely LOVE blue/white/green and tend to have a slightly cooler tone to my work,” she said. “So of course, I was really inspired by having these little blue blooms to play with! As for editing, I aim to edit true to life with the light source that I’m given. Here, I used window light that was cool to begin with! I always aim for whites to be white and that lends to a cooler tone, usually… especially while photographing something that is already blue.”

Mixing both warm and cool tones can be a challenge — but often creates emotional images full of contrast. For this photograph, Gail Secker of Gail Secker Photography was inspired by Pre-Raphaelite paintings and wanted to create a romantic, fairytale feel with a modern aesthetic. She captured the shot at Euridge Manor using the Canon R6 and a 24mm f1.4 lens.

“I love to balance warm orange tones with deep inky blues, desaturating the rich colors slightly to achieve a sophisticated modern aesthetic,” she said. “The challenge is always to maintain the coolness of the blue, whilst retaining the warmth of skin tones and the natural hues of fabrics and textured materials such as stone and wood.”

Blue hour is a short but often inspiring time frame that allows photographers to capture images in the dark without losing detail. For this photograph, photographer Lindsay Ann Snyder of Lindsay Ann Photography worked with singer Ellakate to create a visual representation of her song, I Want To Fall In Love For The Night. To capture the essence of the song, Snyder planned the shoot at blue hour and used a split diopter filter from Prism FX to add a dreamier feel. She captured the shot with a Canon 6D Mark II and a 70-200mm f2.8 lens.

“The power of colors in photography lies in their ability to evoke memories and emotions, making them an essential element for any photographer,” she said. “Capturing a moment is not just about taking a picture; it’s about capturing a feeling that can transport you back in time much like a familiar scent or the melody of a song. It offers an instant and tangible glimpse into our lives, as they unfold before us. That’s why it’s vital to showcase memories by enhancing the color story, which adds depth and emotion to each moment captured.” 

Elopement and wedding photographer Stacy Garfield of Outshined Photography says that, as one of her favorite colors, blue is often found in her images. In this blue hour shot, she used lanterns to light part of the couple while still maintaining the deep blue of the sky. She captured the shot using the Sony a7R V and the Sony 35mm G Master lens.

“I love capturing photos during blue hour because it’s usually near the end of a couple’s elopement/wedding day and they finally have a chance to slow down and reflect on their love and what it means to be married,” she said. “This was a particularly warm and clear evening in May, so I took the opportunity to capture multiple photos with lanterns. By pulling the bride’s veil toward the camera and using it to cover the lower lantern, it diffused the light from the lantern and softened the entire scene. I also liked how the veil followed the line of the bride’s arm and brought the viewer into the image. It also evokes a more romantic emotion.”

Dig into our Photo of the Day archives for even more timeless photos, eye-catching wedding photos and portraits. Submit your wedding, editorial, documentary and other interesting imagery to: [email protected].

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