Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Color Me Happy

 

July 8th, from the window of my office building

This is the picture that gave me my approach to the latest Round Robin Photo Challenge,"Mood." The cliché is that the color blue evokes "mood indigo," the blues.  If you feel blue, it means you're depressed, even downright sad.  Clouds and the rain are associated with the same thing.  But the truth is that when I saw this rainy blue sky last week, it made me happy.  In Tucson, rain is almost always good news,especially if you're waiting for the monsoon to arrive.  I was also really happy with the impressionist look caused by the combination of camera, software, and rain on the window pane.

This got me to wondering whether colors really have much to do with the moods and emotions with which they're associated.  You might wear a color because you're in a mood already, but does color cause a mood?  Does weather cause moods?  How about the colors of the day?  For example:

Sunshine on my shoulders?

Does sunshine on my shoulders make me happy?  Not likely, when it's 110 degrees outside!

Is my house a coward?

Does my yellow house give me a sunny disposition, urge caution, or indicate (or encourage) my cowardice?


Sunshine on my shoulders?

Does pink put me in the pink?  Does it make me feel like a girl?  Does blue make me feel like a boy?  Does purple make my prose mawkish?

Black is the new black.

the comforting darkness

Does darkness darken my mood?  Or is it a relief and a comfort?


 
Do I envy people whose grass is greener?

Is it easy seeing green?

Does green fill me with new life?

Does green make me envy people whose grass is greener?  Does it encourage me to grow? Or, when it's this kind of tree, does it just remind me of Van Gogh?

Little red...

Does seeing red make me see red?  Does it make me angry or alarmed?  Or does it make me stop?

Do you know what the traffic light says to you?
Does you know what the traffic light says to do?
Yellow says, "Be careful,"
Green says "You may go,"
But red is most important:
It says "Stop!" you know!


Orange you gonna ask...?

Orange you going to ask what I have to say about this color?

Should I be yellow or blue?
And how does one react to mixed signals?

the power of color?

The truth is that John and I like bright colors, the sorts of colors one sees mostly in children's fashions and furnishings, and in nostalgic books about the 1950s.  Living in a world of just beige and mauve, ochre and umber, tan and gray...now, that WOULD give me the blues!


Karen

Wednesday night: Just the blues, plus a monsoon update.



Now check out the other Round Robin participants:

Amy http://journals.aol.com/babyshark28/substanceorlackof/ (may not post due to technical difficulties, wich would be a shame, since she suggested the topic!)  

Carly :) http://journals.aol.com/ondinemonet/Ellipsis  

Monica http://journals.aol.com/photographybymon/Mamarazzi  

Celeste http://journals.aol.com/csandhollow/Mydayandthoughts  

Coy http://journals.aol.com/coy1234787/Dancingintherain  

Cheryl http://journals.aol.com/boiseladie/MyWorld/  

Aunt Nub http://journals.aol.com/montaukny/AuntNubsEmptyHead  

Danielle http://journals.aol.com/danielled1/Everybodyknows  

Karen http://journals.aol.com/mavarin/MusingsfromMavarin/  

Mary http://journals.aol.com/alphawoman1/Alphawomansblog/  

Dawn http://journals.aol.com/auburndawn/DawnsDrivel/  

Trish http://journals.aol.com/freeepeace/LivingroomSuperstar (Journey To Peace)  

Kimberleigh http://journals.aol.com/demandnlilchit/LifeasIliveit  

Robin http://journals.aol.com/oceanmrc/MidlifeMatters/  

Alan http://journals.aol.com/botdotdotdot/F-Stop  

Phinney http://journals.aol.com/geminiwilder/Paragon/  

Steven http://journals.aol.com/sepintx/sometimesphotoblog  

Duane http://journals.aol.com/fdtate714/sottovoce/  

Derek http://journals.aol.com/deveil/PictureoftheDay  

Betty http://journals.aol.com/rap4143/MyDayMyInterests/

Nancy http://journals.aol.com/nhd106/Nancyluvspix/

Maria http://journals.aol.com/gotomaria/TheLittleThings/entries/719

Patrick http://astopatwilloughby.blogspot.com/

Kat http://journals.aol.com/mskatdabrat/FromEveryAngle/

Marie http://journals.aol.com/mariebm56/PhotographsMemories/entries/732

Kell http://journals.aol.com/awen1122/TheMountainLifeofaYankeeWife/entries/452

I am not going to compile info this time on what has actually been posted and what the links to individual entries are.  I will be following the main links myself before I go for some badly-needed sleep.  I suggest you do the same! 

K.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Karen

This is an amazing entry. You never cease to impress me. I enjoyed all these photographs so much and you are so right with what you wrote. The sunset was completely disarming. Beautiful! You have been working magic with that camera young lady! Lovely!

Always, Carly :)

Anonymous said...

Colors enhance my moods also...........turquoise makes me feel fabulous! lol

http://journals.aol.com/demandnlilchit/LifeasIliveit/

Anonymous said...

Neat entry!

Anonymous said...

It's amazing the effects colors can have on our moods.  I carefully painted the rooms certain colors to enhance the "feeling" of that room.  Our kitchen is bright and cheerful yellow, the bedroom however is a soft aqua that calms me. :-)  Neat entry.

Monica
http://journals.aol.com/photographybymon/Mamarazzi/

Anonymous said...

Fabulous entry!  Amazing what different colors can do to us!

~~Aunt Nub~~

PS Mine's posted, too~

Anonymous said...

Wow, pictures AND an indepth study on Moods, very nice!
I am sure colors, weather, people, all effect our moods.
but, we always have the final say!
:)

I am still looking for my camera  ::weep, weep::

Anonymous said...

Terrific!
V

Anonymous said...

Gave me a lot to ponder!
Tess

Anonymous said...

Oh how I miss Tucson!!!  Lovely photos!!!

Anonymous said...

I love how you did this! You are so creative.
Celeste http://journals.aol.com/csandhollow/Mydayandthoughts  

Anonymous said...

Karen
Job well done!  Bravo!  Great Round Robin entry!
Sam

Anonymous said...

Very nice.
Elisa

Anonymous said...

So may moods determined by the weather/sun/sky! Wonderful entry. My fav photo is the first "indigo"; that shot is so creative and moody--I just love it! ;-)Sassy

http://journals.aol.com/SassyDee50SassysEYE

Anonymous said...

Darn! I missed it again. Who is the queen of this challenge? I guess I need to get alerts for her journal so I know what the challenge will be. LOL

Anonymous said...

Mood colors :-)
I like what you've done with the theme.

Anonymous said...

Great entry....