Creative ways to use red and other Valentine colors

Are you looking for some creative ideas to use traditional Valentine Day colors like red and pink? What about picking one and do a selective color couples shoot?

The theme

We actually went for a carnival jesters theme. In this instance, all the costumes are black and white, including the jester’s mask. But we really wanted a pop of color. My female jester is wearing a pop of color on an otherwise extremely pale makeup. She is also wearing a wig.

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Choose your color

We opted for red … red represents passion, love and all sorts of other things. I could have chosen pink, but I felt red was the bolder choice.

We also used it sparingly, to really make the color stand out. My makeup artist for this couple session did a fabulous job with small but very strong pops of color. Red in makeup can often look a little pink, but the super pale base and strong accents helped the red stand out.

Play with props

We had a few props and they really made an impact. The red rose (artificial) and red balloon gave the couple something to work with, helping to add a narrative to the images.

Add some atmosphere

I also added some smoke from a smoke machine and used red gels on speedlights to highlight and change the color of the smoke. These are camera left and right, just off screen.

Ham it up or tone it down

Not quite ready for the whole carnival jester thing? That’s OK too, try a black tux and evening dress, along with a bright red or pink rose. Or have the one in a red (or pink) dress or suit with a matching tie on the other. Just stick to one color to make your statement. And even with evening wear, you can still add a little atmosphere.

Make a statement

Make your choice of color the main event and use it as your background color. Add some large cutout hearts suspended on fishing wire and have a Valentine heart theme. You could still use formal wear for this, too.

Whatever you decide to do, have fun with it. Make it sweet and cute or make it sexy and alluring — it’s completely up to you (and your couple, of course).

Models: Andrea Gardiner and James Farmer
Makeup: Bella from Bella Celeste Artistry