All images by Gustavo Rosas. Used with Creative Commons permission.
Black and white is the quintessential look of street photography, but the craft is also now impressive in color. Some of our favorites aren’t just simple captures of what’s happening here and there — they’re also clever exercises on how to catch the eyes with pops of color. A perfect example is today’s featured set by Gustavo Rosas, who uses this technique in his street snaps of Buenos Aires.
In many of these snaps, the photographer and graphic designer hailing from Uruguay may seem to have captured nothing special. Just an ordinary, busy day in the Argentinian capital. But we can’t deny that something in each frame catches the eyes — a disarming splash of color in an otherwise mundane scene or flat color scheme. This approach proves to be really effective in drawing our attention to what matters in the scene.
I find it particularly interesting how these splashes of color come from the most unexpected elements. A lone yellow balloon against a black and gray scene. A bright red target sign glowing on a sunny day. Orange hair and orange spectacles. A blur of green framed by glowing yellow shop lights. Elements like these don’t usually come together on their own, so it tells us about how challenging playing with colors this way can be for street photography.
While not everything in this set is done in this style, these photos still prove eye-catching and interesting by their own merit. People and their facial expressions, fashion, reflections, street art, shadows, architecture, and daily activities — all these still paint a great picture of a vibrant city life.
If you loved this set, we’re sure you’ll also love the street portraits he took around his hometown of Montevideo.
There’s also more to check out on Gustavo Rosas’ website and Behance portfolio.