Yes!

Yes is the answer, but what is the question?

My goodness I love this artwork, I feel a really strong connection and just simply love the way it makes me feel using its colour and shapes.

Colour and shapes are for preschoolers right? A basic starting point of our learning. Once knowledge of colour and shape is achieved we move on to bigger and better things and those seemingly foundational basics are often surpassed in significance.

There is a whole world of underestimated colour psychology available to us.

Mindfulness of nature can open up a whole new incredible world and realisation into the magnitude of colours and shapes.

I really wanted a photograph in The Humble Hunter collection that would connect quickly offering support, self forgiveness and inspiring a strong sense of self belief and confidence.

Titled with one simple word and an exclamation mark that holds an abundance of positive energy in itself, Yes! is the answer to all of those questions we often ask ourselves. Can I do this? Am I good enough? Am I able to? Can I? Am I? The answer of course in one super simple positive word is yes.

So much more

What I had in front of me for this artwork was a simple and beautiful softly pink flower.
Really simple, very pretty just a pink flower? No. So, so much more. The message this humble and subtle pink flower holds is immense. Dive into this item of nature with me and I will explain.

Pink offers the energy of calmness and friendliness. This flower catches your eye and holds space for you. You feel like you’re in the presence of a good friend who loves you and accepts you and gives you a safe space to be yourself in.

Pink holds a playful and inspirational energy which is also very intuitive. She is feminine and knows you well. Her warmth is nurturing and empathic.

Pink disarms us in her understanding. All of these attributes lend to our feeling of physical wellness and self belief. In the presence of such a beautiful colour we are inspired and invincible. What a wonderful way to start each day!

I have photographed the flower using side light with a few reflecting white cards to fill in the shadows and keep the end result light and airy. I didn’t want any deeper pinks or heavy shadows in this photograph. I also wanted more light towards the lower right corner to lead you into your day.

Let me walk you through

There are a few select areas in sharp focus in this photograph. Having a really shallow depth of field as I often do allows me to direct your eye through the map of this image. When we look at this photograph our eye jumps immediately to the area that is the lightest and brightest which is very close to the centre but just a little lower.

You will also find a crisp, sharp edge here. Our brains lock on this area as we are able to make sense of the sharp line in focus. We follow this curve of the petal upwards to the right when we notice focus beginning to drop away. This photograph is almost like a game of snakes and ladders.

Where to next?

Next our brain jumps upwards and to the left where we can see the next petal up, has a sharp ridge in focus. We follow this new curved line to the left and up. We are lifted higher until we have nowhere further to go. Our brain searches for the next sharp line to focus on. This new sharp line is on the petal just to the left again. There is strong contrast here which our brain finds pleasing.

We naturally follow the sharp line down and we are back to where we started. We go through the same process again and once more we are back at where we began. Here we realise, it seems this photograph is playing a game with us. We are climbing up and sliding down continually in a playful manner. We’re enjoying it. This flowers structure and geometry is lifting our spirits while its colour also has a wonderful subconscious psychological effect on us.

The soft and flowing curves hold messages for us to receive, they are bountiful and happen to us subconsciously in just seconds. There are no words needed, only the universal language of colour and shape. Spend a few moments with Yes! And you will be feeling calm, confident, physically well and inspired with a bucketload of self belief.

So much goodness

Having all of this goodness on board is one thing but what happens next? The lower right quadrant of this photograph falls away. There is no area of sharp focus here, there isn’t much detail or any areas for our brain to make sense of. Generally speaking, our brains have been trained to read a page from the top left to the bottom right. This is how we read a book or a page of writing, this is familiar and makes sense. Top left to bottom right is simply how we do it.

In this photograph we ride through in an anti clockwise direction. We got from top left top bottom right, then around and back again. Once we have experienced this photograph a few times, we are so clever that our brains run an express version and we fall into the pattern of fast tracking the anti clockwise circle into a diagonal line.

This starts us at the top left where we have a higher contrast, sharp lines and strong focus then sends us out to the bottom right where we have the complete opposite. There is nothing to catch us in the bottom right quadrant. Our eye can almost fall out of the photograph.

This is intentional. This is where you leave the photograph full of calm confidence, happiness and self belief. This is where you take all that Yes! gave you and you go about your day. This is where you are released. Where you are sent on your way. Where you are free to go.

The photographic story of Yes! is below;
Yes. Yes, you can, you will.
Have faith and fearlessness, a little bit of spunk and a little bit of courage.
Say yes. Hold yourself in a positive mindset.
Fail forward and count your blessings and opportunities as they flow.
Yes you can, you will.

Yes! is a Limited Edition print with 100 copies available only. I hope you love and enjoy it as much as I do, and as much as I enjoyed creating it for you.

Thank you so much for being here,

The Humble Hunter x

Buy your copy of Yes! or click through to see more examples of colour psychology photography available.