My Favorite Color Contrasts

Contributors' Picks from Around the World

Published in X-Ray Magazine
Issue 109, January 2022


Text and Photos by Michael Rothschild


The waters along the New Jersey shore provide striking contrasts—the inky black of a night dive, the emerald green over historic shipwrecks— and the vibrant marine ecosystem means that the stars of the show are dressed to impress in their colorful outfits.
 
The image (top right) is one of my favorite diver portraits. Not only is the contrast between the diver’s red drysuit and the green background striking, the angular element of the anchor line drives the image, while the graceful curves of the hoses soften the composition. And of course, a great model really grabs the viewer’s attention!
 
The image of the black sea bass (top left) is a favorite because the intricate scales and facial markings of the fish work with the brown and orange rust of the wreck behind it. The image (bottom left) shows the detail and beauty of hydroids—it is hard to take a bad photo of these creatures. I love how the pink and green work together.
 
Finally, the business end of the little crab’s arm (center) looks great against the dark riverbed. The blue topped by the red and white reminds me of a gas flame.
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