My project is inspired by photographers and photography styles that use color in a meaningful way to communicate emotion, identity, and culture. One major inspiration is Steve McCurry, who is known for using strong, rich colors to tell human stories. His photographs often use color to highlight emotion and cultural identity, showing how color can make a subject feel powerful or vulnerable.
Team, MoP Creative. “Discovering the World Through the Lens of Steve McCurry.” Masters of Photography, 14 Aug. 2024, mastersof.photography/photography-blog/discovering-the-world-through-the-lens-of-steve-mccurry.
This photo reflects my idea because the strong red and yellow colors show cultural identity and emotion. The red clothing stands out and can represent strength, tradition, and pride. The warm colors help show the subject’s life experience and background without using words. The deep lines on the face combined with the bright colors show wisdom and resilience. This connects to my project because it proves that color can tell a story about a person’s identity and culture. (through clothing)
Another inspiration is William Eggleston, a photographer famous for using everyday scenes with bold, unusual color choices. His work shows that color alone can change how we view ordinary moments, making them feel important or symbolic. This inspires me to use color intentionally, even in simple settings, to suggest deeper meaning.
Team, MoP Creative. “Discovering the World Through the Lens of Steve McCurry.” Masters of Photography, 14 Aug. 2024, mastersof.photography/photography-blog/discovering-the-world-through-the-lens-of-steve-mccurry.
This photo reflects my idea by showing how color represents society and modern culture. The bright red and yellow colors of the McDonald’s sign grab attention right away. These colors are used by big companies to influence people and make places feel familiar and fast-paced. The bold colors stand out more than the people, showing how brands and society can sometimes be more noticeable than individuals. This supports my idea that color shapes how we see places and how society affects identity. (through setting)
I am also inspired by portrait photography as a genre, especially portraits that focus on clothing, backgrounds, or lighting to emphasize certain colors. This genre helps me explore how color can represent personality, mood, and social identity. Looking at these photographers and styles has helped me understand that color is not just decorative but a tool to communicate ideas, which has directly influenced how I plan to compose and edit my photographs.