The changing colours of nature

EXPERIENCING COLOURS:
Colours are all around us

Notice and document how light influences the colours you see

Details:

• All ages

• Time: 24 hours +

• Learning Outcome: Notice and describe the colours seen in an outdoor scene, and how they change at various times of the day.

• Colour Concepts: Lighting in an outdoor scene impacts the colours of the scene.

Materials:

• Camera/phone/tablet

Instructions:

• Find a spot outside that you can go to regularly throughout the day.

• Take a photo of the outdoor scene, and note the date and time of your photo.

• Come back to the same location, and take a photo at various times of the day (at least 4).

• If you can, also take a photo when it is dark outside.

• Arrange your photos in a series, so you can look at them all at the same time.

• Are the colours the same in all photos? If not, describe the differences. Use as many descriptive words for the colours that you can.

• You can extend the exercise over various days, weeks, even months, to get a good collection of images taken at various dates and times, and notice how the colours change in nature over longer timescales.

Questions & Observations:

• Describe how the colours change in your scene at different times of day.

More to explore:

• Repeat the exercise at a different location.

• Repeat the exercise in one month or in different seasons. Compare all your photos.