Travel & Photography Magazine
Three monochromatic and analogous color palettes that use warm oranges, rich browns, and deep neutrals to evoke a timeless atmosphere in your travel images! With @melzagers / For @melzagers, every scene he captures tells a story shaped by the same peaks and valleys that first sparked his love for landscape photography. In these moments from Portugal, you can feel Mel’s unique eye at work, blending dramatic light, expansive sands, and the deep embrace of shadows. Through monochromatic and analogous earthy tones, this series brings together warm beiges, rich browns, and deep neutrals to evoke a timeless atmosphere, echoing Mel’s approach of maintaining a consistent palette, often built around shades of orange, blue, or green, with balanced contrast and black levels throughout. Below, we break down three palettes in this series so you can find inspiration to refine your editing style with similar tones: 1) Image one blends deep neutrals and warm earth tones. The dark charcoal-like tones of the towering rocks (332d27 and 0f0f10) add contrast, while the soft sand (d0b498) and the sun-kissed muted caramel of the reflections (a38466) bring warmth. The earthy taupe (332d27) and walnut (695240) in the rock formations reinforce depth, reminiscent of aged maritime journals. 2) Similarly, image ten features sunlit beiges and rich browns. The soft ivory of the sky (dfcaaf) and warm sandstone tones of the distant cliffs (c4aa91) form an inviting base, while the cinnamon hue of the reflected light on the water (a37b59) adds depth. The deep amber glow from the sun (35231f) and chestnut tones of the wet sand (6c4935) provide a nostalgic, film-like quality. 3) Lastly, image eleven features deep browns and rich, dark hues. The brown-black (0D0805) and dark reddish brown (110907) of the shadows provide depth, while the chocolate brown of the sunlit sand (120A07) adds warmth. In addition, the dark coffee (0C0704) and espresso brown (100806) in the deepest shadows complete the palette with a grounding feel. This palette adds more contrast and mystery, creating a cinematic noir effect. You can read the full interview with @melzagers by visiting the link in our bio!