Contrast is one of the most fundamental and important aspects of a successful photo or video, but it is more than just the difference in luminance across parts of the frame. You can create contrast with color as well, often in much more interesting ways than with luminance. This excellent video explores how to use color contrast in effective ways.

Coming to you from Aputure, this great video explores the use of color to create contrast (though it is oriented toward video, the lessons are very applicable to stills work as well). Contrast is one of the most effective ways to draw attention to your subject, and having a good command of it can do nothing but improve your work. As the video shows, you do not always have to completely engineer such a look. A lot of the time, you already have a certain color palette in a scene, and all it takes is the addition of a bit of a complementary or analogous color to complete the effect. This can often be done with simple techniques like gelling your lights, manipulating your color temperature, or careful arrangement of the elements of the scene. Check out the video above for the full rundown on the techniques.