IN our latest update from Thurrock Camera Club we can report that the club has announced three winners in its annual competition for Projected Digital Image of the year for the respective Leagues.

The winners are: League 1: Chas Tagg - Black on White

League 3: Tony Coleman - The Lighthouse

And the latest tips from the club experts focuses this time on:

[H2]Using Colour in images[.H2

Further to the previous tips providing various techniques that can be employed to improve an image, in this month's tip we look at the importance of colour and how it can impact your photograph.

The use of different colours can have significant impact on an image as they can be employed to dictate the main areas of the image that you wish a viewer to consider.

A small or otherwise insignificant part of a scene can be dominant if it's colour contrasts dramatically with the colour of its surroundings. With this in mind it is worth noting that some colours attract the eye more than others, red for example tends to "expand" and attract attention of the viewer while blues tend to recede and can tone down the impact of an image.

Colour can also be used to create a mood in a composition. By using rich or saturated colours you can create an intense or lively feeling to an image, whereas paler colours can be used to suggest a feeling of calm.

As a general rule, it is considered that typically blues and greens, i.e. the more cooler colours, will work best as backgrounds in an image.

The impact of colours in an image will also be effected by the available light. Bright sunshine will make warm orange and yellow shades seem richer while shadows can be used to emphasise a general glow.

Finally, the use of colour can be of particular importance in certain types of images .

For example, abstract images tend to have only a few visual components. Colour is one key element , along with shape, and texture and a combination of these are highly effective elements to include in your photos. If you are looking to create a create a good abstract image, try to find blocks of colour that form strong shapes.

In the attached example, "Going with the flow", the overall blue cast of the image creates a feeling of coldness and provides a strong contrast to the lady in the red dress. Also the bright red of the dress automatically attracts the viewer's eye and becomes the dominant element of the image.

In the image, "Flowers, apple and pomegranate" the colour of the fruit provides a contrast to the yellow flowers and vase. The bright yellow elements of this image are the more dominant features that attract the viewer's eye and the large amount of yellow reflecting the natural light also helps to give a sense of warmth to the image.

In the final example, "Golden sunset at Loch Assynt", the soft orange hue across the image conveys a sense of warmth and demonstrates how soft lighting can help enhance the colours of a scene.

Even without the title the overall colour capture through the image clearly show that this scene has been captured at dusk or dawn and helps to convey a peaceful and tranquil mood in the image for the viewer to enjoy.