Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Value is synonymous with intensity and refers to the lightness or ____________ of a color.

1. Brightness

2. Hue

3. Darkness

4. Chromaticity

The correct answer is: Darkness

In the context of color theory, value indeed describes the lightness or darkness of a color. It relates directly to how much light a color reflects or absorbs, which helps artists and photographers establish contrast and depth in their work. When you think of value, it encompasses both ends of the spectrum: the lighter shades (high value) and the darker shades (low value) of a color. Therefore, considering “darkness” as a synonym for value captures the entire range from light to dark. The other options, while related to color, do not accurately complete the statement. Brightness pertains to how much light a color emits, hue refers to the actual color itself (like red or blue), and chromaticity describes the quality or purity of a color, but not specifically its lightness or darkness. These terms, while relevant in color discussions, do not provide the correct contextual match in relation to the definition of value.