Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Earth Tones


When I was in art school, we were taught about earth tones. I balked at the concept. (No surprise there; I balk at everything.) But in this case, I discovered that my wife, a very agreeable sort who also attended an art school, found the earth tone label a misnomer. Like me, she saw the world as filled with colour. Have you ever been to Georgia, or even the badlands north of Toronto on the escarpment? Then you know how very red earth can be.

Photo tip: On strongly lit sunny days, it is the bright highlights and deep, strong shadows that define things. On overcast days, it is rich colours that define the world. Shadows open up, colours are oh-so-vibrant and, if the cloud cover isn't too thick, the soft, directional light will create diffused shadows gently giving shape and volume to the world.

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