Global Colors

A picture is worth a thousand words, but what about color? How about a color photograph? The answers to these questions are revealed through my favorite example: the amazing photos shot by photographer Steve McCurry. McCury’s photography truly captures a color’s power and magnificence. Each photo displays colors that highlight the human spirit. The colors that are present develop breathtaking compositions, adding to the intimate moments that have been caught on film. A large majority of Steve McCury’s work focuses on culture. He travels to different countries to photograph real events and real people. Many of his shots are candid yet some of his best work has been from his portrait shots.

            One of my favorite portraits is of a little boy in Bombay, India. The boy’s visage is enticing partly because the color is so commanding. The red in the photograph has the utmost dominance in relation to the rest of the colors. The eye thrives off of its intensity, compelling the viewer to take in the features of the boy’s face, particularly the whites of his eyes. It is the contrast of the white and red that acts as the focal point of the snapshot. Color interaction comes into play as well. The reds and teals give the photo a feeling of completeness.

            McCurry also experiments with tints and hues. The incorporation of both color properties allows a sensory liberation. It tears down the physical boundaries set by the photograph, and allows the viewer to personally feel a part of the moment that was captured. McCurry executes the influence of color on a global scale. His photographs are amazing and unique, and the most astounding part of his artwork is that it is simply a piece of our colorful world from the perspective of a camera’s lense.

            There is no question that Steve McCurry’s photographs are breathtaking. However, what is even more remarkable is that these photos have been taken from different parts of our earth. The colors are real and so are the subjects. Each photograph is a moment in time that has been frozen, allowing it to be revisited time and time again. If this is just a portion of the natural design that universal society provides then the world’s color palette is endless.

           

Photo Source: http://www.soulcatcherstudio.com/images/mccurry/Bombay96_red.jpg