Shadows have a rather sinister reputation. They’re usually used to represent mystery, sorrow or troubled times. Thieves and murderers are always lurking in the shadows. And yet shadows can’t exist without light. Just one of life’s ironies I guess.
When I’m out taking pictures I’m often attracted to shadows. They reduce objects to their basic shapes and forms. Maybe that’s why a lot of photographers like to work in black-and-white. The entire image can be simplified to shapes and forms without the distraction of color. And yet I usually work in color*. Another of life’s ironies I guess.
Shadows not only add interesting geometric shapes to a photograph but, when you’re working in color, they can provide a nice counterpoint to balance out bright colors. If the colors are subdued, then the dark shadows add a nice contrast to the lighter tones.
I took this picture in Key West, Florida. What a great place to visit in late winter or early spring. The bright colors in the sunshine really grabbed my attention so I walked over. When I got closer though, the strong shadows of the umbrellas on the boardwalk jumped out at me. The blues of the sky and water provide a great backdrop to the other colors, the gray of the boardwalk supports the shadows, and the umbrellas and their shadows march off together into the distance where a few customers are ordering lunch. This makes me want to grab my sunscreen and head back to Key West.
(Click on any photo to enlarge, then use arrows to scroll through the images.)
* These are all in color, but maybe some day I’ll add some black-and-white shadows.