I photograph in color, but I treat it carefully. Color is powerful — sometimes too powerful. The human eye is drawn to it before anything else. A bright red object in the corner of a frame can steal attention from a person’s face. A vivid blue sky can overpower the emotion of a quiet moment. Viewers often think they are looking at a subject, when in reality they are reacting to color contrast. If it is not controlled, color stops serving the photograph and starts competing with it.
I see this most often during events and weddings. Decorations, clothing, and lighting are designed to be vibrant, but the story is not in the decorations. The story is in people — expressions, interactions, and relationships.
