Visible Light

Visible light waves are a form of electromagnetic radio waves such as infrared radiation, X-rays,
microwaves, and ultraviolet radiation. We can see these waves as the colors of the rainbow
where each color includes a different wavelength. Red has the longest wavelength and violet has
the shortest one. When all the waves are seen together, they form white light. When white light
comes through the prism, it gets broken into the colors of the visible light spectrum.

EM radiation can be transmitted in waves or particles at different frequencies and wavelengths.

This wide variety of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum. It is divided into
seven areas in decreasing order of wavelength and increasing order of energy and frequency.

What is the visible light spectrum?

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye is known as the
visibe light spectrum. Visible light range comes under the range of EM spectrum between
infrared and ultraviolet having a frequency of about 4 x 10   to 8 x 10   cycles per second and
14 14

wavelengths of about 740 nanometers or 2.9 x10   inches to 380 nm.

-5
Color
The most important characteristics of visible light are color which is both an inherent property of
light and an artifact of the human eye. Our eyes include specialized cells known as cones. These
cones act as receivers that are tuned to the wavelength of the narrowband of the EM spectrum.
Light at the lower end of the visible spectrum has a longer wavelength of about 740 nm. It is
seen as red, green in the middle, and violet at the upper end of the spectrum having a wavelength
of about 380 nm.

Color and Temperature

As the object gets hotter with the temperature, they radiate energy which is dominated by shorter
wavelengths by changing its color before our eyes. For instance, a blow torch turns bluish from
reddish as it is adjusted to burn hotter. The sun produces yellow light than any other color as its
surface temperature is 5,500°C. If the sun’s surface is cooler, 3,000°C then it would look
reddish. If the Sun is hot, 12,000°C then it would look blue.
You may want to check out the following video for a better understanding of the characteristics
of UV, IR and visible light and how they vary from each other.
In the literary sense, a composition (from the Latin "to put together") is the way a
writer assembles words and sentences to create a coherent and meaningful work.
Composition can also mean the activity of writing, the nature of the subject of a
piece of writing, the piece of writing itself, and the name of a college course
assigned to a student. This essay focuses on practicing how people write.

Key Takeaways

 In writing, composition refers to the way a writer structures a piece of

writing.
 The four modes of composition, which were codified in the late 19th
century, are description, narration, exposition, and argumentation.
 Good writing can include elements of multiple modes of composition.
Composition Definition
Just like a musician and an artist, a writer sets the tone of a composition to his or
her purpose, making decisions about what that tone should be to form a
structure. A writer might express anything from the point of view of cool logic to
impassioned anger. A composition might use clean and simple prose, flowery,
descriptive passages, or analytical nomenclature.
Since the 19th century, English writers and teachers have been grappling with
ways to classify forms and modes of writing so beginner writers can have a place
to start. After decades of struggle, rhetoricians ended up with four categories of
writing that still make up the mainstream of Composition 101 college classes:
Description, Narration, Exposition, and Argumentation.
The Composition of Color

The sensation of color depends primarily on the composition of light which is a

mixture of white light and colored light (which in itself can be a mixture of
wavelengths as in the case of purple). The colored light may have a dominant
wavelength or hue and the extent to which the hue dominates is known as saturation
(or chroma). The saturation decreases as the hue is deleted with white light.
There are 3 receptors in the eye that respond to different wavelengths. This leads to
attempts to chart colors by a mixture of three primary lights. Figure 1 shows James
Clerk Maxwell's color triangle with the three apexes representing three primary
colored lights: blue-violet, orange-red, and green. A great number, but not all colors
can be produced by mixing lights of the three primary colors. A specific color, for
example an unsaturated greenish blue, can be represented by a point on the triangular
grid.

Figure 1. The color triangle attributed to James Clerk Maxwell. At the apices are the additive primary colors and at
the edges, the subtractive colors. Many, but not all colors can be represented as a mixture of the three color lights.
The nearer a point is to an apex, the higher is the proportion of light of the color represented by that apex (adapted
from H. Rossotti, ,(Princeton, 1983)).

In order to represent all colors, 3 imaginary or "ideal" primaries are used. The

Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) defined in 1931 (modified in 1967)
the chromaticity curve with standard observer and 3 ideal standard sources. The
chromaticity diagram is constructed (Fig. 2) by drawing a color triangle with 3 ideal
(but non-existent) primary colors at each corner. The x-axis is the amount of ideal
green that would be mixed with blue. The y-axis is the amount of ideal red that would
be mixed with blue. A given color is represented by values along the two axes.

Superimposed on the triangle is the CIE chromaticity curve which places the band of
pure spectral colors as a solid curved-line from violet up to green down to red.
The dashed line connecting 380 nm and 700 nm are the nonspectral colors of purple
obtained by mixing violet and red light beams. All the colors that we can see are
contained within the area bounded by the solid and dashed lines. The central point W
of the diagram is the white produced by an equal mixture of the three primaries.
 Figure 2. The CIE chromaticity diagram showing wavelengths in nanometers (nm) and energies in electron volts
(eV). The area enclosed by the curved line and dashed segment include all visibile colors. The pure spectral colors
lie along the curved edge. (Adapted from Nassau, The Physics and Chemistry of Color, (Wiley, New York, 1983)).

We can represent a mixture of two spectral lights as a point on the line joining the
light point on the spectral curve. The dotted line in Fig. 2 joins the blue light at 480
nm with the yellow light at 580 nm. Following the dotted line we would proceed from
spectral (or saturated) blue to pale blue to white to pale yellow to saturated yellow.
Thus, a mixture of the correct amounts of 480 nm blue light and 580 nm yellow light
gives any of the colors located in between. Similarly the purple colors can be formed
by a mixture of red light with violet light as specified by the dashed line. A pair of
colors which can produce white (the line joining the two colors passes through the
white point, W) are called a complementary pair. Thus blue light and yellow light
form a complementary pair as do orange (600 nm) and blue-green 488 nm, also called
"cyan". We can now use the point W as the origin and describe color as a mixture, in a
certain proportion, of white light of a given wavelength. This wavelength is referred
to as the dominant wavelength and the color associtated with this dominant
wavelength is called the hue. We thus describe the sensation of color in terms of hue.
The amount of hue that makes up the composition of light is known
as saturation (also designated as "chroma"). The dominant wavelength points on the
spectral curve (solid line in Fig. 2) are fully saturated. As the dominant wavelength or
hue is diluted with white light, the saturation decreases. For example, to describe a
beam of pink-appearing light (point D in Fig. 2) as unsaturated orange hue of 620 nm.
 Figure 3. Different ways of obtaining metameric beams of pink light. Each implies mixture with white light to
obtain pink light, A) by orange light, B) by mixing red with cyan, or C) by mixing red, green, and violet. To the eye,
these metameric colors would all appear the same. (Adapted from Nassau, The Physics and Chemistry of Color,
(Wiley, New York, 1983)).

There are many ways to produce the light at point D (or any other point): one hue plus
white, two spectral colors or three. These light mixtures are illustrated in Fig. 3 where
A) shows orange and white, B) blue-green (cyan) and red, and C) violet, green, and
red. These three mixtures would appear the same to the standard observer.

Color in Composition
As noted in the previous chapter, color is the third layer of composition. For our
purposes black, gray, and white are considered values, not colors; thus, a picture
rendered only in these tones does not use the principles of color composition. As we
saw in the previous chapter, there are specific ways to handle line, value, and texture in
composition that draw the viewer in and convey the artist's message successfully. So,
too, with color, in terms of both placement and combination.
A color that is unlike any other in a composition will draw attention and therefore
requires careful placement. Use a unique color where you want to direct the viewer's
eye. You can also use a unique color as an accent to enliven a picture. if a unique color
is placed too near an edge or a corner, the eye will be attracted there and thus leave the
composition. If such an awkward placement is unavoidable, it is helpful to place another
unique color m a position opposite the first. For example, if a unique color directs the
eye to the extreme right side of the composition, another unique color on the left side
will help to bring it back.
There are many ways to organize the colors in a composition, but essentially there are
just four basic schemes: monochromatic, complementary, analogous, and triadic. These
four are adequate for most situations, and each has its own influence on the mood of a
picture.
Monochromatic Color Schemes
Monochromatic means one color and includes the light, middle, and dark values of that
color. There IS usually no difficult y in harmonizing a monochromatic color scheme and
little concern about the placement of odd colors. The mood created with this scheme is
usually simple and direct, and its specific meaning depends on the color chosen. For
example, using mostly middle values of a yellow-orange conveys a sense of pervasive
warmth and security. It would be difficult to create a frightening picture using this color
without dramatically shifting the values and/or using a lor of diagonals in the linear
composition. Using blue-green, however, would result in a feeling of cool detachment,
while red-violet would suggest sensuality. The meanings of colors are, of course,
subject to personal, political, and cultural interpretati

of a picture.
Monochromatic Color Schemes
Monochromatic means one color and includes the light, middle, and dark values of that
color. There IS usually no difficult y in harmonizing a monochromatic color scheme and
little concern about the placement of odd colors. The mood created with this scheme is
usually simple and direct, and its specific meaning depends on the color chosen. For
example, using mostly middle values of a yellow-orange conveys a sense of pervasive
warmth and security. It would be difficult to create a frightening picture using this color
without dramatically shifting the values and/or using a lor of diagonals in the linear
composition. Using blue-green, however, would result in a feeling of cool detachment,
while red-violet would suggest sensuality. The meanings of colors are, of course,
subject to personal, political, and cultural interpretation.
MORNING DEW; GOUACHE ON PAPER, 12 X 16" (30.5 X 40.6 CM).
This is an example of a monochromatic color scheme. One dominant color is used,
along with its tints and shades.
Complementary Color Schemes
As we have seen, colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel are called
complements. A color will appear its strongest and brightest next to its complement.
Thus, a complementary color scheme is used when strong impact and drama are
desired. Complements can be used as accents, as in a small red ball on a large green
field, or used as near equals, as in autumn's orange leaves against the blue of the sky.
In both cases the intensity of each color is increased by the presence of its complement.
Complementary colors need not be of similar value or intensity to enhance each other
or function effectively in a composition. For example, a dark, muted blue will still
complement a bright orange. Even two muted complements will accent each other.
Warm and cool colors can also complement each other. For instance, blue is a cool
complement to red's warmth. This is not as strong a relationship as the contrast
between two true complements, such as blue and orange. Yet juxtaposing colors of
different temperatures can result in interesting compositional effects with impact and
drama.
A variation of a complementary color scheme is the split-complementary scheme. For
example, red and green are complementary colors; a split complementary color scheme
based on those colors would include red plus yellow-green and blue-green, or green
plus red-violet and red-orange.

arm and cool colors can also complement each other. For instance, blue is a cool
complement to red's warmth. This is not as strong a relationship as the contrast
between two true complements, such as blue and orange. Yet juxtaposing colors of
different temperatures can result in interesting compositional effects with impact and
drama.
A variation of a complementary color scheme is the split-complementary scheme. For
example, red and green are complementary colors; a split complementary color scheme
based on those colors would include red plus yellow-green and blue-green, or green
plus red-violet and red-orange.

Orange and blue are the dominant colors in this complementary color scheme. I chose
these colors to give extra strength to what is actually a very simple composition. In this
and the following accompanying diagrams, color names are abbreviated this way:
Y=yellow, R=red, B=blue, O=orange, V-violet. G=green, YO=yellow-orange, and so on.
VERY COLD WATER, GOUACHE ON PAPER, 16 X 12" (40.6 X 30.5 CM).

To emphasize the importance of the flowers in this painting, I heightened the intensity
and warmth of their red-violet color by juxtaposing its cool complement, blue-green.
ARTIST'S CACTUS, GOUACHE ON PAPER, 12 X 16' (30.5 X 40.6 CM).
To depict the fallen leaves from my sister-in-Iaw's tree, I used a split-complementary
color scheme of red-orange, red-violet, and green. Adding some green leaves to the
composition provided an accent and intensified the other colors.

CYNTHIA'S LEAVES, GOUACHE ON PAPER, 12 X 16' (30.5 X 40.6 CM).

Analogous Color Schemes
Colors close to each other on the color wheel are called analogous. For example, red,
red-orange, and orange represent an analogous group. Analogous colors have the buill-
in harmony of a shared color; in the example given, all three colors have red in
common. An analogous color scheme uses three to five neighboring colors on the color
wheel. As with monochromatic color schemes, analogous colors create simple moods in
a composition. However, while a monochromatic scheme can sometimes look like a
black-and-white picture that has been toned with a single color, an analogous scheme
involves a greater range of colors, allowing for increased subtlety and emotional
expression. Blues and violets tend to create a quiet, somber mood; reds, yellows, and
oranges tend to create cheerfulness and exuberance; greens imply calm. Occasionally
a color from the opposite side of the color wheel is used as an accent.

To convey the coldness and quietness of this subject I used a cool analogous color
scheme consisting of blue, blue-violet, and blue-green.

AURORA, OIL ON CANVAS, 30 X 60" (76.2 X 152.4 CM).

Triadic Color Schemes
Any three colors that form an equal-sided triangle on the color wheel are considered
triadic. Red, yellow, and blue is a triadic color scheme, as is violet, orange, and green.
Triadic colors tend to create a mood of cheerfulness and buoyancy, which is why they
are often used in children's toys. The purer (more intense) the colors are, the more
pronounced the effect.
Numerous variations in color composition are possible. In a composition that uses many
colors, those that dominate define the main color scheme; other color schemes may be
used in conjunction with the principal one for special effects. An awareness of the
effects color has on you and your audience is a necessity. And, as with the linear, value,
and textural elements of composition, the sizes and shapes of colors are most
interesting when they are varied. Generally, some repetition of colors will add internal
harmony to the composition.

Although the scene itself dictated my choice of colors, a triadic scheme of red, yellow,
and blue, I decided to emphasize the colors' strength to make the viewer feel good
about rocks.
PETRIFIED SAND, GOUACHE ON PAPER, 12 X 16" (30.5 X 40.6 CM).
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Composition and colour

Introduction
Composition is the arrangement of objects in the picture. In this chapter you’ll
find out how to arrange your picture to achieve a specific effect. You’ll also
learn how to use colour and light to create a particular atmosphere.

 Vision in action  

Think about the following when you shoot your film:

1. Composition: use central composition, rule of thirds or diagonals to

make your picture balanced.
2. Remember the rule of thirds when shooting dialogue scenes.
3. Colours and light: find locations with appropriate colours and light to
create the atmosphere you want. Use your instinct.
o
4. Common mistakes:
o leaving too much space around your subject (for example
above the head)
o verticals and horizontals aren’t aligned (unless you want them
misaligned)
o the edges of the frame aren’t clear and there are oddly cut
objects.

Equipment and tools

The basic equipment you need to do the exercises in this chapter is a camera.
A tripod and some additional lights will help if you want to experiment a bit
further.

Main section
The aim of good composition is to help the audience understand the picture.
Composition in photography and other visual arts can be a great inspiration
in composing video frames.

Static shots – where there is no camera movement – are easier to compose;

you have more time to plan your picture carefully. It’s harder to control the
composition of dynamic shots with a lot of camera movement.

Complex shots need to be  longer, to give the audience enough time to

recognise all the elements in the picture. Shots with a
simple composition and few elements can be shorter.

As well as arranging the elements in your picture in a particular way, you

can use colour, light and different lenses to achieve a specific effect with your
shot.

Types of composition

There are many different ways of composing a picture to get the effect you
want. Here we focus on three simple but effective types of composition.
Central composition

Central composition

Placing your main subject or subjects in the centre of the picture both
vertically and horizontally gives you a central composition. It makes
the picture appear calm, static and stable.

This is the simplest type of composition and the one we choose instinctively.

That’s because our eyes like balanced pictures and tend to focus on central
points first.

It’s good not to overuse this type of composition. You should experiment

and see where it works well for you, but try to discover other ways
of presenting your subject appropriately as well.
Examples of central composition
Rule of thirds

Rule of thirds

According to the rule of thirds, the picture is horizontally and vertically divided
into equal thirds, forming nine equal rectangles. The main subject or subjects
should be placed along these lines. Composing your picture in this way will
give you a pleasing while at the same time dynamic image.

You can find the rule of thirds in many other places, including geometry,
music, architecture, photography and even the human body.
 Examples of rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is commonly used when composing dialogue scenes. The

person talking, or the person whose face we can see, occupies two thirds of
the image. The other person takes up one third of the picture.
 Example of the rule of thirds when shooting a dialogue scene

Diagonals

Diagonals

Placing objects in a diagonal from left to right or vice versa gives you the most
dynamic composition type.
 Examples of diagonals

Decomposition

You can create a sense of chaos, irrelevance or any other subjective feeling

by ‘decomposing’ your picture – arranging its elements in an unbalanced
way. 2
 Examples of a decomposed picture

Colour

Along with the arrangement of elements, colour is one of the most

important components of your picture. It plays a crucial part in creating a
particular atmosphere for your shot.
Colour circle with primary colours (P), secondary colours (S), tertiary colours
(T)

Primary colours: red, blue and yellow. They make the picture appear bright
and optimistic.

Secondary colours: green, orange and violet. They are combinations of

primary colours and give the picture a neutral look.

Tertiary colours: red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-

violet and red-violet. These are combinations of primary and secondary
colours. They can make the picture look dull or depressing.

Harmonic colours: colours that sit next to each other in the colour circle.
Using them together creates harmonic and balanced pictures.
 Example use of harmonic colours

Complementary colours: colours that sit opposite each other in the colour

circle. Using them together creates movement and contrast, and can also
sometimes have an unpleasing effect. In nature, many plants and animals
display such combinations to defend from predators or, in the case of some
snakes and lizards, as a sign of their toxicity.

Example use of complementary colours

Light tones

Another important component of your picture is the ratio of light and shadow.

Based on this ratio, pictures can be decided into three categories:

 High key: a very bright picture with few shadows or dark spots. Created

using a strong front light and slightly wider iris.
 Middle key: light and shadow are balanced.
 Low key: the picture consists mostly of dark tones, with a lot of
shadows. Created using a back light and very little or no front light.
 High-key, middle-key and low-key images

Use of different lenses

Using different lenses can also help you achieve a particular effect. Your
choice will usually be between shooting from a close range with zoom-out,
from a medium range with middle zoom, or from a distance with maxed zoom-
in (see ‘Lenses’ in Camera advanced for more information).

Common mistakes
1. Too much unnecessary space around your subject.
 too much space above the head (left), and good composition (right)

2. Make sure horizontal and vertical lines are well aligned (for example
making sure a bridge is straight horizontally or a house stands straight
vertically), unless you intentionally want a different, more artistic effect.
 poorly aligned verticals (left), and good composition (right)

3. Frame edges aren’t clear, and elements are oddly cut or included – for

example a random leg or arm. You could avoid this by changing the framing
or camera position. This is often easier than changing the location.

hands oddly cut out of the frame (left), and good composition (right)

Exercises
1. Go out with your camera and create good examples (photo and / or
video) of the three types of composition.
2. Create good examples (photo and / or video) of different colour
combinations. Find suitable motivations or subjects, and try to express
particular emotions.
3. Make a short video- or photo-collage (see Making a video collage) or film a
scene in high- or low-light key. Match the light key to the topic!
4. Watch a film and try to recognise the types of composition, colour and
light.
Related topics and links to external resources
Chapters: Camera basics / Camera advanced / Basics of lighting

Methodology
Whether you’re learning by yourself or leading a group of young
people through the process, pick a topic that interests you and link the
exercises to the topic. Your motivation will be stronger, you’ll enjoy editing the
clips more, and the final result will be better.

Terminology
composition, central perspective, rule of thirds, diagonals, primary colours,
secondary colours, tertiary colours, harmonic colours, complementary colours,
light tones / keys, high key, middle key, low key

The importance of colors in our life

There is no denying the link between colors and our emotions, and we
even have an abundance of idioms to show what way each color can
affect your mood.

It can be a small thing, such as gazing out the window at a patch of green for
a few minutes or wearing something bright on a rainy day. 
The first might calm you down or help you refocus, while the latter will give
you a boost of energy on a day when you would typically be running low. 

Do you ever feel blue? Are you green with envy? Are you
seeing red? Is your world black and white?
There are a few reasons why we react to colors the way we do.

Our relationship with colors

Not everybody will react the same way to the same color. 

Colors influence us on a few different levels. On one hand, we are conditioned

socially and culturally (we mourn in black and wear white mostly in the
summer) and on the other hand, our reaction is also personal, influenced by
how this color is presented in our own lives. 
Red is typically associated with a sense of urgency. It represents danger and
forces us to become more alert, more active.

But it might also be one of the colors in your grandma’s kitchen, making you
feel warm, loved, and safe instead.

Warm vs. cool colors

Colors are commonly divided into two categories: warm and cool colors.

Warm colors such as red, orange, yellow, and combinations of these provide
the illusion of heat and warmth because they remind us of sunlight or heath.

Visually, warm colors will appear closer or like they are advancing towards
you.
Cool colors such as blue, purple, and green provide a sense of calm and
relaxation because they are a visual reminder of elements of nature like water,
sky, and grass.

Opposite to warm colors, cool colors look as though they are further away or
receding from us.
Surrounding yourself with the right colors can improve your mood, relieve
stress, and help you get a good night’s sleep.

So how do you pick the right colors for yourself?

The most important thing is to create an environment that will have the right
amount of both colors and will not side too heavily in one direction only. 
For example, a little boost of yellow is a great visual pick-me-up but too much
will distract you and can even make you agitated in the long run.

Warm colors attributes

Warm colors can be inviting, comforting and stimulating.  and invoke powerful
feelings like joy, playfulness, and passion.

Red attributes - love, passion, heath, joy, energy and life

Orange attributes - warmth, change, and health

Yellow attributes - happiness, cheer, warmth, optimism

Pink attributes - romance, gentleness, sweetness, playfulness

Gold attributes - riches, opulence, and tradition.

 Cool colors attributes
Cool colors have a calming effect and will help you relieve stress and make
you feel refreshed.

Blue attributes - calm, wisdom, importance, trust, and integrity

Green attributes - health, growth, environment, tranquility and harmony

Purple attributes - wealth, nobility, luxury, spiritualism, magic, creativity

White attributes - innocence, cleanliness, clarity, and openness

Black attributes - authority, power, elegance, and mystery

Colors played an important role in creating Chipolo key

finders and have stayed a vital part of our identity to this
day.
Losing your keys is such a small everyday inconvenience, but just like colors,
it provokes a range of emotions that very few other situations do. You can feel
scared, rueful, angry, stressed, relieved, and calm all in a space of a few
minutes.

A vibrant pop of color attached to your keys can provide some relief and it
makes it easier to spot if you ever can’t find it in your pocket!
Colors play a vital role in our lives and how we respond to our surroundings.
The colors you surround yourself with can influence your perspective and
emotions, as well as those around you.

A mix of warm and cool hues will help you find your own balance, so use the
above short guide as a starting point to help you determine how to use them
to your advantage and help yourself in everyday situations.
Treat yourself to a smart little splash of color that'll help you track down your
misplaced items in seconds. 

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