• Photos

  • Level

  • Score

Simultaneous Contrast

© Melissa G. Meiselman

Simultaneous Contrast

Uploaded: June 07, 2006

Description

The Visual Motion of Colors

I am exploring the psychological capacities of colors to arouse emotions by intentionally creating a jarring unpleasant sensation for the viewer. My goal here is for the colors to appear to flicker, pulsate and move, encouraging the viewer’s visual tension and to create the sensation of visual motion.

The two colors, red and green in this image, side by side, interact with one another and change our perception of each of these colors to the degree of their saturation and value. The effect of this interaction is called SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST. Since we rarely see colors in isolation, simultaneous contrast affects our sense of the colors that we see.

Simultaneous contrast is most intense when the two colors are complementary colors. Complementary colors are pairs of colors, diametrically opposite on a color circle: such as red and green, and blue and orange and yellow and violet.

Entered into Monthly Theme


Comments

Manuel Barrera June 07, 2006

different and unusal - very well done #460212

Tamera S. Phillips June 07, 2006

Great shot Melissa and very interesting read. Well done. #2864247

William Moore June 07, 2006

what a fine art piece you have here....love the 3d effects quite a beautiful modernistic ab photo... #2864258

Carla Metzler June 07, 2006

Great colors and work. Very interesting read, Melissa! #2864272

Mary N C. Taitt June 07, 2006

Excellent, wonderfully done, interesting and appealing, in a visually stimulating sort of way. #2864275

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Manuel, Tamera, William, Carla and Mary for your great comments. #2864295

Bill Wyatt June 07, 2006

Wow very creative and intresting, the colors do work to stimulate the senses. #2864303

Paul Michko June 07, 2006

A very...moving image, Melissa. ;) #2864304

Jeff Robinson level-deluxe June 07, 2006

I had to put a seat belt on! Job well done!! Jeff #2864306

Tarun Bose June 07, 2006

My god Melissa what a lovely explanation you have given regarding this subject. Mind blowiing. Excellent work, colours, texture, lines everything is remarkable. It is definitely a winner. Congrats for your amazing creative work. My hats off to you. Regards. Tarun. #2864420

Nadya Johnson June 07, 2006

I like this, Melissa! The colors don't seem to flicker, but looking long enough, I get a deep 3-dimensional effect. I think because I worked in video so long I can look "beyond" any sort of flicker. (Remember when RED used to pulsate on the screen so badly you would feel like you'd gone half blind????) What I really love here, is the lighting!! This really IS remarkable, and on every level! Great work! #2864472

Paula Dwyer June 07, 2006

A different and creative approach to color. Very interesting read too.
Definitely love what you've here!! :) #2864487

Jim Huffield June 07, 2006

AWESOME MELISSA!!!! #2864564

Claudia Kuhn level-classic June 07, 2006

Cool lines and colors Melissa! #2864637

Ray Clarke June 07, 2006

Great colours and shapes Melissa! Love the composition but nothing moved for me!!!(R) #2864638

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

I will have to find one that flickers more, however thanks Bill, Paul, Jeff, Tarun, Nadya, Paula, Jim, Claudia and Ray for your comments!! #2864691

Stan Kwasniowski June 07, 2006

Melissa, gorgeous, this has to be a winner #2864783

Jane Summa June 07, 2006

Fantastic color & lighting, Melissa! The lines, shadows & angle of the shot throws off a 3d effect...i'm not seeing a jarring unpleasant view, though..I see 2 main colors, blending of 2 main colors and the angles and shadows keep my attention on this excellent image!! love it! #2865125

Joy Rector June 07, 2006

wow, unique #2865264

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Stan, Jane and Joy for your great comments!!! #2865275

Bridgette B June 07, 2006

Facinating image, Melissa!! #2865286

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Bridgette for your comment.

The following simple image appears to move and flicker more that the submitted image. The submitted image has more going on so less is perceived. #2865336

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Image did not upload here..am trying again. #2865352

Laurence Saliba level-classic June 07, 2006

Wow I really like this Melissa!!!! I had a similar image once with contrasting lines. It does work if looked at carefully! #2865530

Pamela Shane June 07, 2006

This is fantastic Melissa, & it does have a 3D feel to it. The one with the
circles seems to flicker. Great work.
:) #2865547

Dr Silly level-classic June 07, 2006

Doesn't flicker to me, but I love this image. And what makes you think that is not the real me?? :O)
#2865559

Nancy L. Green level-classic June 07, 2006

Love the comp. on this one Melissa. It doesn't flicker for me either, actually the last one did. #2865967

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Laurence, Pamela, Doc. and Nancy for your comments and reactions. #2866010

Su Sana E. P level-classic June 07, 2006

Very intriguing and impressive graphic image, Melissa!! Very very creative and a real brain teaser for those graphic artists. #2866569

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Susan for taking a look and making a comment!! #2866697

Ross Throndson June 07, 2006

Never heard the term Simultaneous Contrast, Melissa, but I have noticed its effects. Cool Image!! #2866877

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Ross for your comment and am glad you perceived the effects!! #2867004

Kenneth Mucke June 07, 2006

WOW>>>I have no idea how your mind comes up with all this stuff....this is just amazingly creative #2867047

Melissa G. Meiselman June 07, 2006

Thanks Kenneth for your comment...I think about creating images all the time...even dream about it!! #2867114

Renee Doyle June 08, 2006

Very very effective image Melissa!!!!! Wonderful work! #2867663

Terry L. Ellis level-classic June 08, 2006

Fascinating work, Melissa! Enjoyed the whole story, too! #2868857

Melissa G. Meiselman June 08, 2006

Thanks Renee and Terry for your terrific comments. Glad you read the explanation for this image, Terry!! #2869465

Rakesh Syal level-classic June 08, 2006

Great job once again, Melissa!!!! #2870104

Melissa G. Meiselman June 08, 2006

Thanks Rakesh for your terrific comment!!! #2870145

Candy Avera June 08, 2006

Wow. I don't know what more I can say. This is amazing Melissa. #2870322

Keith L. Clayton June 08, 2006

Awesome I mean AWESOME piece of work! Nice job, Melissa! #2870631

Melissa G. Meiselman June 08, 2006

Thanks Candice and Keith for your most effusive comments!!! #2870636

Kay Beausoleil June 08, 2006

An interesting concept, Melissa, and beautifully executed. Though at this size, the colours don't pulse, I can imagine your image would have a really startling effect enlarged and on a museum wall. #2870895

Revonda L. Gentry June 08, 2006

Awesome, and this should be on a Museum wall!! #2870909

Melissa G. Meiselman June 08, 2006

Thanks for such laudatory remarks!!!

I do have work, not however, from this series, in museums, in their permanent collections. I will never know if these works are on walls, though. #2870928

Glenn E. Urquhart June 09, 2006

Unique, creative and Outstanding Abstract, Melissa!!! Very Well Done! Cheers, Glenn. #2872899

Melissa G. Meiselman June 09, 2006

Thanks One and Glenn for your comments on this image.

Thanks One for having a peek at the other one!! #2874692

Virginia Leone level-classic June 11, 2006

Super cool image! I didn't detect any motion, and if it's not picked as a finalist/winner for theme, you should re-enter in elements of design. Bravo! #2882801

Melissa G. Meiselman June 11, 2006

Thanks for your comment, Virginia. As I understand the rules an image can only be submitted one in the month. I can certainly do another....but not sure I want too many of this genre in a single month. #2883077

eileen bedford June 17, 2006

You succeeded. Tension and fascination.

#2908278

Melissa G. Meiselman June 17, 2006

Thanks Eileen for your kind comment. #2909544

Daniel G. Flocke June 21, 2006

Very Cool Image!!!!

~Daniel #2928578

Melissa G. Meiselman June 21, 2006

Thanks Daniel for your comment!!! #2929861

Ivan Chacon June 22, 2006

I like this image very much Melissa !!! #2936400

Melissa G. Meiselman June 23, 2006

Thanks, Ivan for your comment!!! #2940003

Diana L. Ralph June 24, 2006

This is very interesting and visually stimulating! GREAT job! #2945453

To discuss, first log in or sign up (buttons are at top center of page).

Get Constructive Critiques

Sign up for an interactive online photography course to get critiques on your photos.


 

Did You Know?

Discussions by Category: You can view photo discussions on various themes in the Community > Photo Discussions section of the site.

BetterPhoto Websites: If you see an orange website link directly under the photographer's name, it's totally okay. It's not spam. The reason: BetterPhoto is the one that offers these personal photography websites. We are supporting our clients with those links.

Unavailable EXIF: If there is no other information but 'Unavailable' in the EXIF (meaning no EXIF data exists with the photo), the 'Unavailable' blurb is not displayed. If there is any info, it shows. Many photos have the EXIF stripped out when people modify the image and resave it, before uploading.


 

The following truth is one of the core philosophies of BetterPhoto:

I hear, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.

You learn by doing. Take your next online photography class.

You &

Love It!

BetterPhoto.com Editor's Pick


Copyright for this photo belongs solely to Melissa G. Meiselman.
Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.