Photography Challenge: Colourful

Donna's photo challenges are always interesting. This month, the challenge was colourful. (Actually, it was colorful - but I'm Canadian, so I'll add the extra "u.") I found this challenge a little more difficult than earlier ones. Don't we always photograph colour? How could I force myself to learn a little more with this challenge? 

My favourite colours are the cool tones of blues, greens, violets, pinks. I can handle some yellow, but not too much. My home and my garden very much reflect this cool palette. So I decided to stretch myself a little and go outside of my usual palette. Ta Da! Above is a detail of a Golden Chain Tree, currently blooming along the path I walk. Doesn't it glow against the greens?

A trip to Butchart Gardens was a revelation. I can walk by beds of orange, red, and yellow flowers without once feeling the urge to snap a photo. Okay, red, sometimes, but it has to be a deep, cool red. This time, I forced myself to really look at the other colour combinations. The jagged edge on the orange tulip above caught my eye. I think I photographed it more for the shape than the colour. But colourful it is.

I slipped backwards for this photo. A long, lovely bed of white tulips nodded gracefully in elegant uniformity. Then I saw her. And I giggled quietly to myself. One rebellious poppy, flaunting her blue petals and golden center in the midst of all that white. Brave little poppy. "Look at me," says she, "I'm unique." Isn't she adorable?

I enjoyed this foray into new territory with colour. Did you learn something new during this challenge? What is your favourite colour palette?

All photos were taken with my Nikon Coolpix P7100 and edited for colour contrast in Picasa. 

Visit A Personal Photography Challenge for more colourful displays.