Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

Which of the following refers to the degree of closeness to pure color?

1. Value

2. Saturation

3. Contrast

4. Neutrality

The correct answer is: Saturation

The term that refers to the degree of closeness to pure color is saturation. Saturation describes how vivid or intense a color appears. A highly saturated color appears bright and rich, while a color with low saturation appears more muted or washed out. In photography and art, understanding saturation is crucial for creating impactful images, as it affects the emotional response a viewer might have to the colors in a composition. Value relates to the lightness or darkness of a color, which is distinct from saturation. Contrast pertains to the difference between colors or tones, often used to create visual interest or highlight elements within an image. Neutrality typically refers to colors that are not vivid, often found in grayscale or desaturated palettes, and does not convey the degree of purity in color as well as saturation does. Therefore, saturation is the most appropriate term for describing the closeness to pure color.