Thanks to Tsukiouji for stretching us with
this last week's P52 topic this time around, which was Triadic, Tetradic and Square Color Harmonies. This was a tough assignment for entrants AND the judge! There's a lot of information to juggle and keep in mind when choosing what to photograph for this theme. I suspect that many of us are instinctively drawn to photograph scenes that include harmonious color combinations. But to actually go looking for those pictures is another thing altogether.
Enough throat clearing. Time for judging, which is never easy, and this time around was particularly difficult. In assessing the photos I looked for the usual solid photographic techniques like composition, but also whether the images fits the theme of this contest. I'm no expert on color theory or practice, so there's an inevitable amount of subjectivity in my selections of winners, and it was a very tough one to judge because everyone did so good a job. But here goes, with comments on each entry first and winners later:
Tess/Tessfully: You chose to create a still-life to fit the theme, and have a tetradic combination of colors (blue, violet, golden-yellow, orange-red) that work very well together. Your recent work with abstracts shows, too. The glass "sculpture" is a kind of wheel (a metaphor for a color wheel?). I like the spoked effect, the smooth and harmonious gradation of hue, the highlights, and the patches of bolder color. The composition is strong and carries my eye around the picture, but the sharply focused "hub" is a solid focal point to create a strong image with many pleasing elements.
Maria/Maria27: Violet, golden-yellow, and dark green creates your triadic color combination, and a very pleasing one it is, too. By looking straight down onto the open bloom and centering the flower, then surrounding it with a darker background, the eye is drawn to the delightfully bright golden-yellow highlights. Low light also intensifies the gold and violet hues, and the softness of the picture makes it a very pleasing composition. A fine entry for this contest.
Patrick/Patrick9: Serendipity guided you toward the making of what's, to me, a evocative photograph. (What kid hasn't enjoyed using chalk to draw on sidewalks?) The colors fit the theme, with the predominant impact being muted examples of blue, violet, green, red, and yellow for a rectangular tetradic color harmony. The color balance is very pleasing, the chunky pieces give the photo weight, and the obvious texture instantly brings to mind the dusty feel of chalk in hand. A great job.
Noel/Noelcmn: No need for a shrink! A beautiful scene with a tetradic color scheme where the golden-yellow and orange of the low sun, painted clouds, and reflections brighten a predominately blue and purple scene. The warm brown landmass in the bottom of the photo gives weight and helps unify the picture without taking away from the spectacle of color. The anglers -- with a touch of bright red! -- balance the composition and provide a strong focal point in what is already a beautiful shot. Well done.
Joe/jmschrei: Another pleasing flower photo with a triadic color arrangement. The composition and limited depth of field lend depth and place the scene in a larger context. Out of focus pink and golden flowers on the neutral off-white background help carry the eye around the photo, but always the eye returns to the sharp blooms in the foreground and the green leaves that help frame them. A splendid example of the theme.
Tom/Ramseybuckeye: Rich orange, green, and violet make for another triadic color scheme (practically an equilateral triangle, if one's a geometrically minded photographer or artist). The dark green hues frame the butterfly, while the clover's (am I right on the ID?) intensity is more muted, thus enhancing rather than competing with the main subject. I'd say this is a successful example for this theme. Well spotted.
And now the moment we've all been waiting for. So here goes...
Honorable Mentions: Maria, Joe, and Tom Third Place: Patrick 
Second Place: Noel 
First Place and Next Week's Judge: Tess 
Congratulations to you all for attempting (and succeeding) in this tough challenge. And thanks again to Tsukiouiji for moderating and choosing it!
Tamia, really appreciate your expertise here, and your kind comments. So informative and helpful. Well done everyone, and a loud PHEW from me-seeing that that one is supposed to be the toughest for color. I'm breathing easier! Never mind that the asthma is subsiding!
Originally posted by tessfully 
Post #1 by Tamia
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