Color Blocking in the Wild: Finding Bold Palettes Through Your Lens
Introduction: Why We Crave Bold Color
Think about the last time you stopped mid-walk to take a photo. Maybe it was a hot pink wall against a clear blue sky. Maybe it was a bright yellow raincoat popping against a gray street. Or maybe it was a stack of green apples at the market that looked so vibrant it almost didn’t feel real.
That’s the magic of bold color blocking—it interrupts the ordinary. It creates a visual pause, a moment where your brain says, Wait, I need to take this in.
In design and photography, bold, minimal color palettes are everywhere right now. From fashion runways to Instagram feeds to branding for companies you see every day, these color blocks are stealing the spotlight. And for good reason: they’re simple, striking, and impossible to ignore.
This week, I want to invite you into that same space of attention and creativity with our prompt:
Prompt: Photograph bold blocks of color—doors, murals, outfits, even fruit at the market.
But before you grab your camera, let’s talk about why this matters—and how this practice of noticing color can shape not just your photography, but also how you see branding and the messages colors send.
Step 1: Learning to See Color Blocks in the Everyday
Color blocking doesn’t always show up as a perfect Mondrian-style painting. More often, it’s in the everyday details. A bright red door on a whitewashed house. Blue recycling bins lined up against a beige wall. The rainbow stacks of clothing at a thrift store.
The beauty of this exercise is that it forces you to shift your perspective. Instead of chasing a subject, you’re chasing contrast. You’re training your eye to spot where colors interrupt, highlight, or amplify each other.
Here are a few places to look as you head out with your camera:
Architecture: Bold doors, painted walls, staircases, window trims.
Street art: Murals and graffiti often feature intentional blocks of color.
Markets: Fruit, flowers, packaged goods—all arranged in vibrant displays.
Fashion: People walking by with brightly contrasting outfits.
Nature: Even natural settings can surprise you with color contrasts—think of a yellow sunflower against a green field.
But remember: this isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. Even the uneven, slightly messy blocks of color you find are worth capturing.
Step 2: Playing With Composition
Once you’ve spotted a bold block of color, the fun begins. Photography isn’t just about seeing—it’s about framing.
Try experimenting with:
Minimalism: Fill your frame with a single color block and a contrasting accent.
Symmetry: Center your subject so the color feels intentional and graphic.
Angles: Get low, look up, crop tight. Bold colors are even stronger when composition amplifies them.
Don’t overthink it. Often the best color block shots are the ones you snap quickly, when something catches your eye and you lean into that instinct.
Step 3: What Color Makes Us Feel
Here’s where things get really interesting. Because while photographing bold colors is a joy, colors aren’t neutral. They’re loaded with meaning—whether we realize it or not.
A bright red wall feels urgent, passionate, bold.
A soft blue door feels calm, trustworthy, serene.
A neon green sign feels energetic, maybe even playful.
This is where photography and branding overlap. Just like your camera captures how colors look, your brand communicates how colors feel.
And whether you’re a photographer, a small business owner, or a creative trying to tell a story, the psychology of color matters. It’s not just design fluff—it’s a language.
Color Psychology and Branding: The Hidden Connection
When I work with businesses on their branding, one of the first things we talk about is color. Because colors don’t just decorate—they speak.
Red → urgency, excitement, passion.
Blue → calm, trust, professionalism.
Yellow → optimism, energy, youth.
Green → growth, balance, health.
Black → elegance, power, sophistication.
White → purity, simplicity, clarity.
Think of the most recognizable brands in the world—Coca-Cola, Ikea, Apple. Each one leans into color as part of its identity. You don’t even need the logo sometimes; the colors tell you enough.
So here’s the big question: What’s your brand saying without words?
The Creative Bridge: From Lens to Brand
Here’s why I love prompts like this—they train your creative eye in ways that spill over into other parts of your life. By practicing how to see color in the wild, you also start to notice how brands use color to influence us.
Next time you’re photographing a bold red wall, think about how that same red might feel in a logo. Next time you frame a row of yellow sunflowers, imagine what that yellow would communicate on a website banner.
The bridge between photography and branding is awareness—and this exercise helps you cross it.
Your Turn: Try the Prompt
So this week, I want to challenge you:
Go out into your world—your neighborhood, your commute, your favorite local café—and search for blocks of color. Photograph them. Frame them. Notice how they make you feel.
And then, step back and ask yourself:
Which colors am I most drawn to?
What emotions do these colors bring up?
Do they align with the story I want to tell in my creative work or brand?
Because at the end of the day, photography isn’t just about capturing—it’s about connecting. Connecting colors to emotions, emotions to stories, and stories to identity.
Why This Matters for Your Brand
Here’s the truth: You could have the best product or service in the world, but if your colors don’t connect, your message falls flat.
Your brand palette is your silent ambassador. It’s what catches attention before anyone even reads your name. It’s what makes people pause—just like that red door or yellow raincoat.
If your colors feel scattered, confusing, or mismatched with your message, people notice—even if only subconsciously. And that’s where I come in.
I help brands define the colors, visuals, and identity that make their message clear. Because whether it’s photography or branding, the principle is the same: clarity wins attention.
Friendly Call to Action
So here’s my question for you: What’s your brand saying through its colors?
If you’re not sure—or if you want to make sure your palette is saying the right thing—I’d love to help. That’s what I do: I take the essence of who you are, and translate it into visuals that speak clearly and confidently.
Take this week’s photo prompt, share what you find, and then let’s connect. Head over to zachsummers.net to explore how we can bring clarity to your brand.
Because the right colors don’t just make things look pretty. They make people feel something. And that’s where the magic happens.
Closing Thought
As you walk through the week with your camera, remember this: the world is already speaking in color. You just have to notice.
When you pause to capture those bold blocks—the red door, the blue wall, the orange fruit—you’re practicing something bigger than photography. You’re practicing how to see. And once you learn to see, you’ll never look at color the same way again.
So go find your blocks of color. Photograph them. Feel them. And let them remind you that your own brand is speaking in color too. The only question is: what story are you telling?
Photo by Jan van der Wolf: https://www.pexels.com/photo/house-with-yellow-wall-and-red-chimney-18843530/
Photo by Francesco Ungaro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/multicolored-lid-on-chevron-flooring-97295/