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Photograph by James P. Blair, National Geographic

This serene image by photographer James Blair succeeds all the more because of its cool blue palette. Every inch of the image says winter, peace, silence. Colors can imbue a photograph with a strong sense of mood. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Blues tend to be cool colors, especially the blues that drift toward purple. When they dominate a scene, we feel a shiver—an emotional response to the color. One blast of yellow or red in a mostly blue scene will warm it up and change our reaction. Remember to use color creatively in an image to leave an overall impression on the viewer.

New York City Skyline
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New York City Skyline

Photograph by Jim Richardson, National Geographic

At times, the overall color of a scene can be so different from the way we normally see it that we hardly recognize the place. Seeing lush, green Central Park in a pink fog changes it completely in Jim Richardson’s stunning view, shot from a hotel window. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Bad weather makes great pictures. It can also make the familiar completely new. So head out in that snowstorm and find ways to shoot in the rain. Celebrate fog and sandstorm and lightning. New pictures await under these conditions.

Black Dog

This photo is from Simply Beautiful Photos: Palette

Black Dog

Photograph by Tarik Mahmutovic, My Shot

The simplicity of this poignant photograph by Tarik Mahmutovic is strengthened by the way he cropped it. Nothing distracts from the basic black of the puppy’s body, so we are pulled into its mournful eyes. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Keeping the color palette simple by cropping out any distracting background can call attention to the most important elements of a photograph. Remember, black and white are colors too.

Lightning, Nebraska

Lightning, Nebraska

Photograph by Jim Richardson, National Geographic

Colors are often associated with certain emotions. The eerie green of the porch against the oddly purple sky gives a spooky feeling to the whole image. Photographer Jim Richardson has wisely worked with the halogen lighting that photographers usually avoid. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Remember that artificial lighting comes in a variety of colors. Tungsten is yellow, flash is blue, and fluorescent varies. These colors can make or break a photograph, so use them thoughtfully.

Macaws, Bolivia

This photo is from Simply Beautiful Photos: Palette

Macaws, Bolivia

Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic

It’s the colors in this abstract photograph that allow us to recognize the birds in flight as macaws. Because macaws have such bright and distinctive colors, photographer Joel Sartore was able to create a successful abstract image, one in which birds of quieter hues would have disappeared. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Distinct colors can help the viewer recognize objects in an abstract view. When presented with this advantage, the photographer has more leeway to be creative with time exposures and motion while still allowing the subject to read.

Photo: Ballet dancers in colorful costume

Ballet Dancers, California

Photograph by James L. Amos, National Geographic

Like nodding flowers, these ballerinas flow together as much for the palette of their costumes as for the choreography of the dance. Photographer James L. Amos has wisely photographed from above, allowing the soft pastels of the tutus to seem suspended against the simple dark background of the floor. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: Varying colors that have the same feeling or mood in a scene can blend together to give an overall impression of color. This is true with both soft and bright colors. Setting a cluster of color against a simple background will enhance the mood.

Imperial Palace Garden, Japan

Photograph by Justin Guariglia, National Geographic

The symmetry of this lovely photograph by Justin Guariglia is interrupted and made memorable by the red umbrella and its reflection in the pond. The strength of the red in this scene balances the dominant deep greens and cool colors and is quietly echoed by a gray umbrella in the upper left corner. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: In an image with a simple palette, a splash of color can add interest to the scene. But the placement of that color in the scene must be composed thoughtfully so that it adds to the balance of the overall photograph.

Middleton Gardens, South Carolina

This photo is from Simply Beautiful Photos: Palette

Middleton Gardens, South Carolina

Photograph by B. Anthony Stewart, National Geographic

This exquisite image was photographed long ago, on a glass plate negative, by B. Anthony Stewart. Perhaps that explains the delicate palette that makes this image so very beautiful. The colors in this photograph have captured the feeling of spring in the American Southeast as well as any image I have ever seen. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: With all the exciting creative techniques made possible by digital technology, it is good to revisit old images and old techniques. It can remind us that subtlety can be far more beautiful than manipulated imagery.

Snowstorm, China

Photograph by Michael Yamashita, National Geographic

Another great picture made better by bad weather. Michael Yamashita has used a telephoto lens in this situation to compress the snowflakes into patterns of white. He has wisely focused on a plane of snow, leaving the background figures slightly soft. All these photographic choices pull the viewer into the storm. We can practically feel the snowflakes on our tongues. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: A telephoto lens will compress everything in a scene, including elements as small as snowflakes. And the longer the lens, the more shallow the depth of field, so it’s fun to experiment with the patterns and shapes that happen when using this type of lens.

Hibiscus Petals
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Photograph by Amy White & Al Petteway
Bright petals mark the hibiscus, a flowering plant found in much of the world.
Photo: Giant lobelia

Giant Lobelia

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by George F. Mobley

The leaves of a giant lobelia plant, photographed on Mount Kilimanjaro's Shira Plateau in Tanzania, spiral around the center.

Sunflower Florets
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri

Beads of dew cling to the florets that spiral inside a sunflower head.
Photo: Close view of a calla lily

Calla Lily

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Raul Touzon A favorite of brides, the ethereal calla lily is often called the wedding flower.
Photo: The veins on a castor bean leaf

Castor Bean Leaf Close-Up
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri
Veins spider across a castor bean leaf in Hungary.

Photo: The flower of a claret cup cactus

Claret Cup Cactus Flower

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Raul Touzon

The flower of a claret cup cactus glows amid Tonto National Forest in Arizona.
Photo: Picotee pansies

Picotee Pansies

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jonathan Blair
White borders rich purple in these picotee pansies in Gilroy, California.
Photo: The spores of a flower

Flower Spores
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri
A flower's spores are accentuated.
Photo: Hairpin banksia

Hairpin Banksia

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jason Edwards
The hairpin banksia (Banksia spinulosa) is native to eastern Australia.

Photo: Thorns on a prickly pear cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Sharp spines erupt from the skin of a prickly pear cactus in the Galápagos Islands.
Photograph by Tim Laman
Photo: Coleus plants

Coleus Plants
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Tim Laman
Coleus plants grow across much of South America.

Photo: A zinnia hybrid flower

Zinnia Hybrid Flower
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jonathan Blair
Genetic engineering created this zinnia hybrid flower.
Photo: Castor bean leaf

Castor Bean Leaf

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Jozsef Szentpeteri

The seeds of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) are the source of castor oil as well as the deadly poison ricin.

Hair Cap Moss
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Rich Reid
Hair cap moss (Polytrichum commune) is found throughout much of the world.

Water Lily

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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by James P. Blair
A water lily thrives in the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Photo: Red tulips

Red Tulips
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: FloraPhotograph by Stephen St. John

Red tulips fill Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C.
Photo: A close view of a green leaf

Leaf

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by James L. Stanfield

A leaf's veins stand out in deep relief.
Photo: Palm fronds

Palm Fronds

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Flora

Photograph by Nicole Duplaix Palm leaves, called fronds, are traditional symbols in many religions.

Neglected Eighty-Eight Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Joel Sartore

A neglected eighty-eight butterfly (Diaethria neglecta) in Brazil’s Pantanal displays the design of lines and dots that gave it its unusual common name.

Birdwing Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Nicole Duplaix

Australia’s largest butterfly, the birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus) blends into a green leaf. Female birdwings can have a wingspan of nearly 8 inches (20 centimeters).

Kamehameha Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Chris Johns

The Kamehameha butterfly (Vanessa tameamea) is one of only two indigenous butterfly species in Hawaii. Above is a close-up of a Kamehameha wing from an Oahu museum.

Photo: Close-up of the dotted wing of a butterfly

Pipevine Swallowtail

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Darlyne A. Murawski

The pipevine swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor) has white-and-orange dots on the underside of its hind wing.

Male Blue Morpho Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Cary Wolinsky A male blue morpho butterfly’s wings shine iridescently in this mounted specimen.

Peacock Pansy Butterfly

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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Tim Laman
The peacock pansy butterfly (Junionia almana) sports striking eyespots and purple patterns.
Photo: Zebra-winged butterfly

Zebra-Winged Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Joel Sartore

The petals of a white flower set off the white stripes of this zebra-winged butterfly at a children’s zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Blue Morpho Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Tim Laman

A decorated blue morpho butterfly (Morpho sp.) rests on a leaf. The blue morpho's entire life cycle lasts just 115 days.

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Butterflies

Photograph by Darlyne A. Murawski

Colorful gerbera daisies highlight the rich coloration of a spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus).

Photo: Sandbars on Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Sandbars, Australia
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Water

Photograph by Paul Chesley Sandbars flow into the Coral Sea at Whitsunday Island National Park in Queensland, Australia.
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Photo: Water vortex

Whirlpool, France

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Water

Photograph by James A. Sugar

Turbines at the Barrage de la Rance electric power generating station in France create a whirlpool in the Rance River.

Photo: Rushing water in the Chicago Botanic Garden

Water, Chicago Botanic Garden

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Water

Photograph by Paul Damien
Rushing water creates deep-blue waves at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Illinois.
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Photo: Water rippling

Water, Virgin Islands
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Water

Photograph by Todd Gipstein
Water ripples over sand in the Virgin Islands.
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Necklace Sea Star

Photograph by Wolcott Henry

A necklace sea star nestles among the C-shaped emerald tentacles of anchor coral in the western Pacific Ocean.

Maldives Sea Star

Photograph by Paul Sutherland

A red-and-yellow necklace sea star clings to a sea fan in the Maldives.

Ochre Sea Star

Photograph by George Grall

An ochre sea star (background) shares a kelp-strewn beach with a bright-red cousin at low tide on Washington's Tongue Point.

Purple Sea Star

Photograph by Wolcott Henry

A sea star with vibrant purple coloring rests on an ocean floor.

Neon Urchins

Photograph by Paul Nicklen

A nontoxic dye highlights water currents surrounding sea urchins (Astropyga sp.) off Vancouver Island, British Columbia. These small, spiny echinoderms are found in oceans all over the world.

Calico-Patterned Sea Star

Photograph by Walcott Henry

The white dorsal plates of this sea star, photographed in the western Pacific Ocean, give it a calico pattern that helps it blend with its rocky surroundings.

Photo: Close-up of multicolored sea urchin

Fire Urchin

Photograph by Tim Laman

The spines of a fire urchin (Asthenosoma varium) form a multicolored flower off Komodo Island, Indonesia. The blue swellings on the tip of each spine are filled with venom

Sea Star and Crab

Photograph by Wolcott Henry

A small crab skitters across a brilliantly colored blue sea star in the western Pacific Ocean.

Salt Piles on Shoreline, Senegal
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Robert Haas
Salt piles line the shoreline of Lake Retba, Senegal. The high salinity content of the lake provides a livelihood for salt collectors.

Photo: Biplane above Monomoy Island, Massachusetts

Photo: Biplane above Monomoy Island, Massachusetts

Biplane Over Monomoy Shoals, Massachusetts
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Michael Melford
A biplane flies above Monomoy Island, Massachusetts.

Sand Dunes, Rub al Khali

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by George Steinmetz

The borders of four nations—Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates—blur beneath the shifting sands of the Rub al Khali, or Empty Quarter, desert.

Photo: Cavelike homes in rock formations in Turkey

Cave Dwellings, Turkey
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Photograph by Klaus Nigge

Cavelike dwellings built into soft rock dot the Cappadocia region of Turkey.
Photo: Aerial view of grassless patches in the Namib Desert

Fairy Circles, Namib Desert
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Michael Fay Fairy circles, or grassless patches, spot the Namib Desert in Namibia, seen here from an airplane.

Photo: Bacteria in a New Zealand thermal pool

Photo: Bacteria in a New Zealand thermal pool

Bacteria, New Zealand
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Peter Essick
Photosynthesizing bacteria in a New Zealand thermal pool absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
Photo: Lichens on a gravestone in Lake Champlain, New York

Photo: Lichens on a gravestone in Lake Champlain, New York

Lichens
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This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Stephen Sharnoff
Lichens grow on a granite gravestone in Lake Champlain, New York.

Photo: Close-up of a giant clam mantle

Giant Clam Mantle

This photo is from Patterns in Nature: Mysterious Earth

Photograph by Tim Laman

Iridescent spots surround the mantle of a giant clam in Palau, Micronesia. The mantle is a fleshy outer layer that secretes the clam's shell.

Cenote, Mexico