The Color Wheel at a Glance

The Color Spectrum

Here's the science in a snap: Isaac Newton discovered the color spectrum when he shone white light through a glass prism. Each color had its own wavelength that can only be seen when light is reflected off a surface.

The color wheel sets up the primary colors of red, blue and yellow in their natural order. In between the primaries are secondary and tertiary shades.

An understanding of the color wheel will help you understand that opposites really do attract. Complementary colors are exact opposites on the color wheel, for example violet and yellow.

Colors that sit side by side or close to each other on the color wheel create a wonderful sense of harmony.

Color and Light

With any kind of artificial lighting, colors tend to change.

* Tungsten light bulbs throw a yellow light on the room, which turns whites slightly cream. It also causes yellows to lose their pop and takes the edge off reds and oranges.

* Fluorescent lights create the opposite effect. It creates a blue-tinged light that cools colors down.

* Halogen lights tends to be a happy medium as their white light allows colors to stay close to pure.

The most beautiful light for photography is natural light.

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