Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Which component does adding black to a color affect?

1. Hue

2. Value

3. Saturation

4. Contrast

The correct answer is: Value

Adding black to a color primarily affects its value. In color theory, value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. When black is mixed with a color, it deepens the hue, making the overall color darker; this is often referred to as creating a shade of that color. For example, if you take the color red and add black to it, the resulting color is a darker red, which is lower in value than the original red. This process does not change the hue itself (the specific color), but it does impact how we perceive the lightness or darkness of that color, thus altering its value. Saturation, on the other hand, refers to the intensity or purity of a color. While adding black influences how saturated a color appears, it specifically speaks to the depth or richness of the color rather than changing its inherent characteristics.