The principles and guidelines that govern the use of color in visual composition.
Color theory in photography encompasses understanding how different colors interact and create emotional responses. Key concepts include complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel), analogous colors (adjacent on the color wheel), and color temperature. Warm colors like red and yellow tend to advance in an image, while cool colors like blue and green tend to recede. Understanding color theory helps photographers create more impactful images through deliberate color choices and combinations. It's particularly important in commercial and fine art photography where color can convey specific moods or messages.