Mastering color is an essential ability to any good photographer. To achieve proficiency, a basic knowledge of primary colors and complementary colors is required.

Each primary color has a “complementary color“. The complementary color of a given primary color is defined as the color that added to the primary color gives the white light.

Masterful control of complementary colors is essential in composing an image. Consequently, if you wish to make an object stand out from its background, you should pick up a background with the complementary color of the object.