When we think about branding strategy and marketing ourselves/our business, color sometimes takes the back seat. We might even have a brand color guide that our website is based on and our logo pulls from, but we often miss the crucial step of cohesively threading that color story throughout all our materials.

Photography has quickly become the go-to marketing tool for anyone who’s on Instagram, but all too often I see small businesses slap things together without carrying through their vision. In this Blog post I will walk you through how I strategically think about color when it comes to social media images and how you can use it to your advantage in every photograph.

Color theory & How it applies to your brand

the Meaning of color

Every single color has a meaning behind it. These definitions are so ingrained in our society that we all already know what they are, even if we don’t realize it. So without saying a word, simply choosing a specific color is already communicating a message to whoever sees the photo!

Here are some ways that color portrays a lot more than what we see…

• Red - powerful, exciting, bold.

• Yellow - happy, cheerful, optimistic.

• Orange - warm, friendly, confident.

• Green - healthy, refreshing, positive.

• Blue - corporate, trustworthy.

• Pink - sensitive, feminine.

• Purple - creative, wise.

• Brown - natural, comforting, stable.

• Black - sophisticated, professional.

• White - pure, balanced, calm.

Complimentary colors

One of the textbook ways to pair colors is to put complimentary colors together. So if you have a lot of purple and want it to stand out, you can pair it with a yellow background. Same with orange and blue, and red and green. While this seems simplistic, it’s actually quite powerful and it doesn’t have to be so cut and dry, either, because things rarely are in real life. You can see with the image above that it looks quite balanced and natural, but is also using the orange/blue complimentary colors to create that feeling.

Monochromatic colors

One of my favorite ways to use color is the monochromatic approach. The idea is that you use varying shades of the same color within the image to create a striking focus of whatever isn’t within that color family. So imaging having an all-red background and an object in front that’s white. That single object will stand out drastically even though red is such a powerful color. When I photograph people, I always want to make sure they’re the most important subject in the image.. and that means curating the colors that are around them so that they end up being the focus, no matter what.

Infusing your own personal style

Sometimes we are just drawn to a specific color as part of our style. I personally have a closet that goes from black to gray to white with few other colors in between, and that’s my own approach to how I want to dress and present myself. When I work with clients to put together the wardrobe for their session, the two biggest things we consider are brand colors and their own style. No matter what, their own clothes are a true reflection of themselves. It doesn’t make sense for them to dress like someone else (at least in my opinion!), which is why personal color preferences are taken into account first. I can work around bright colors, dull colors, an all-black wardrobe, and anything else you can think of, all because we build the entire session from the ground up together.

Ways to use color in your branding images

1. CREATING COHESION

If you already have defined brand colors, then you can be very prescriptive about the hues that show up in your Instagram feed, which creates consistency and exudes professionalism. But even if you don't know what those colors are for you, you can follow the simple guideline of keeping things similar in terms of color and design. Find the type of images you are drawn to, and try to keep within the same theme moving forward. Strong branding will have a specific color woven throughout all visual media, and if it works for huge brands, it will certainly work for you!

2. ACCENT COLORS

Even if your Instagram feed is all white, you should always have an accent color to create interest. Evaluate your images not only by how pretty they are, but also by color hues - like if there's a bright red in the background that's taking attention away from your face. Simplify things as much as possible so your audience won't be confused. Use your accents, because they infuse your personality and instill uniqueness in your images!

3. USING COLOR TO DIRECT THE EYE

What is the most important part of your image? That's exactly where you should use your accent color! The part of the photograph you want the viewer to focus on should be the most prominent - and color is the perfect way to make it stand out. So before you snap that picture, look around and make sure the most important thing is actually the one demanding the most attention.

Most of my work is produced in color. Especially for personal branding sessions, using color gives us an incredible advantage. While many others will gloss over the power of intentionally putting colors together, I make it the starting foundation for all my sessions. This is why it’s so important to have our pre-session styling appointment - there’s really no other way to achieve this result.

And if you’re interested in learning more about Personal Branding photoshoot and how we create a year’s worth of images for your social media in ONE DAY, you can visit https://nlalorphotography.com/personal-branding for more info.