Essential color harmonies that every photographer should understand

As a photographer, you should always be striving to improve the quality of the photos you create to capture the attention of your audience. Mastering the art of color harmony and using it consciously can help you achieve this.

Color harmony is the combination of colors that look pleasing and harmonious to the eye. The theory is that colors have natural partners that work and look aesthetically pleasing together.

Let's look at three color combinations that I often use to make product photos that stop people from scrolling.

Complementary colors

Complementary colors lie on opposite sides of the color wheel. When paired together, they will naturally appear brighter and more vivid, which makes images look striking.

In this example, we used a blue background in two different shades for the orange subject and jacket to achieve our complementary color scheme.

Monochrome colors

Monochromatic colors are composed of different variations of the same color. It uses various tints and shades of a single color hue. When combined, these will make an image have different contrasts within the composition but a unified overall look.

In this example, we used a single yellow color from the backdrop to the props, matching the product perfectly.

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Triadic color scheme

The triadic color combination uses three colors that form a perfect triangle in the color wheel. In the eyes of your viewers, this combination will look more intense, striking, and visually balanced.

In this case, we gave the overall picture a striking look by adding blue and red accents to the yellow package.

I hope this helps you level up your product photography and shows you how you can use color theory and harmony to your advantage when planning your next photoshoot. Tag us on Instagram if you give it a go; we would love to see your results! Don’t be shy about sending us a DM if you have any questions or queries.

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Thank you Michael and your creative partner Brittany from Haas House for exploring color theory with us and taking us through their harmonious ways with these stunning examples to inspire us. Read more about Michael and Brittany’s journey in our Inspiring Creator Series or visit their website to learn how you can level up your product photography with their help.