Colour, light and dust

A few weeks ago I visited Unison Colour, which uses pure pigment, extracted from all over the world, to make soft pastels, a medium my hubby has embraced recently in his art.

(Pastels are extremely messy and create copious amounts of pigment dust but bless him he’s creative and he’s very good at it, so what can I say.)

The colours Unison make are truly alive and can transport you from the intense burnt ochre of the Northern Territory in Australia to the blue shutters of Provence, and the soft greens and pale lilacs of the British Northumbrian countryside, where this cute cottage industry is based.

As it happens, Unison was founded by a photographer.

And it’s not a surprise that this diversity is often reflected through the lens.

This was really highlighted to me when I first took my photographers’ folios to Los Angeles. At that time, many of the art buyers commented on the intense and hard light in shots made in New Zealand and Australia, in comparison to the muted tones of Northern Europe. It was quite fresh to them and they sometimes hired my photographers on that basis.

But they often hired them to shoot in LA, as well as New Zealand, so the challenge was to retain the consistency of their images, wherever they were shooting.

Regardless of light, colour, location and subject matter, your job as an image maker – still or motion – is to be consistent in your approach.

One which can pull together a campaign and make it feel like one brand.

The way you see the world, and the magic dust (not pastel dust thank goodness) that you weave through your work, is what sets you apart.

And that’s what will put you firmly on the map.

If you need help understanding your unique ‘magic dust’ and who will pay for it, schedule a free strategy call with me here to discuss how I can help.