newMediaImages IAT 101 New Media Images composition

newMediaImages Composition What is composition ?

newMediaImages Composition What is composition ? Composition is creating a skeleton on which to ‘hang’ the individual elements of your work.

newMediaImages Composition Goal of composition?

newMediaImages Composition Goal of composition? 1.To create unity between elements. 2.To focus viewer attention (center of interest) and create a visual hierarchy (movement between elements). There are many ways of doing this. How you do it will depend upon how you want the composition to support Character and Meaning.

newMediaImages Still vs. Motion Picture Composition Still Image: May suggest motion but deals in “space” relationships (singular frame). Motion Picture Composition: A motion picture, on the other had, is composed in both space and time. For This lecture we are dealing with Single Frame (still Image) composition.

newMediaImages Still vs. Motion Picture Composition

newMediaImages Still vs. Motion Picture Composition The Principles (the how) –Balance –Contrast –Movement –Emphasis –Pattern –Proportion –Unity The Elements (the what) –Line –Shapes –Forms –Space –Color –Texture

newMediaImages Still vs. Motion Picture Composition “Thesis” of reading pp. 198 “A motion picture cameraman, however, can simply center a moving image in his finder and regardless of poor composition, improper placement in the frame, unsatisfactory background or numerous other pictorial faults, HOLD VIEWER ATTENTION through sheer movement alone!.”

newMediaImages Still vs. Motion Picture Composition What this means:  Goal of these techniques is to hold/switch viewer attention (center of interest).  How you hold/switch attention should maintain harmony with the other elements.  The techniques you select to create a center of interest should support the overall concept and character.

newMediaImages Good Camera Work Begins with Composition Good: Thoughtful composition and purposeful movement. Pitfalls: Hold viewer attention through movement – sometimes necessary but can be over used.

newMediaImages Composition: An Approach 1.Center of Interest 2.Visual Hierarchy 3.Balance

newMediaImages Composition: An Approach 1.Center of Interest  Isolation  Placement  Contrast (value, colour, light, focus) 2.Visual Hierarchy  Suggested Movement: Lines and transitional lines (suggested lines between shapes)  Actual Movement (both camera and object) 3.Balance:  Pictorial Weight (Informal Balance)  Approximate Symmetry (Formal Balance)  Geometric Shape

newMediaImages Center of Interest Techniques to achieve and/or switch Center of Interest Position Lighting Tonal values (contrast) Colours Selective focusing Movement Action Sound

newMediaImages Center of Interest Placement: Each picture should have only one principal idea, topic, or center of interest to which the viewer's eyes are attracted. Subordinate elements within the picture must support and focus attention on the principal feature so it alone is emphasized. Dominant Placement

newMediaImages Center of Interest Positioning the Center of Interest

newMediaImages Black Narcissus, Cinematography Jack Cardiff

newMediaImages Center of Interest Isolation: is a kind of placement -- where something is put. An item that stands apart from its surroundings will be more noticeable. This is not likely to make an item be noticed first but can make one item stand out. Creating Dominant Placement

newMediaImages Center of Interest Contrast: addresses the notion of dynamic tension, the degree of conflict that exists within a given design between the visual elements in the composition. Contrast: Tonal, Colour, Light

newMediaImages Center of Interest Selective Focus Focus: Using depth-of-field to draw attention to an element in the frame.

newMediaImages Colour contrast Bladerunner Tonal contrast Wings of Desire

newMediaImages A still photographs freezes the Decisive Moment. It can only suggest motion. Composed in Space & Time Motion Picture: Composed in Space Still Photograph: Visual Hierarchy: Movement

newMediaImages Eye Scan Within Frame: Directing the user to a specific element within the frame Between Frames: Viewers make connections between adjacent frames. Visual Hierarchy: Movement

newMediaImages Visual Hierarchy: Movement Movement: Movement in an image is made up of both Rhythm between the elements and the Direction in which the eye moves. In Motion Pictures movement may be both suggested and depicted. Movement: Direction & Rhythm

newMediaImages Significant Movement Good motion picture scenes are the result of thoughtful compositions and significant movement. Undesirable Movement distracts from the primary action. Visual Hierarchy: Movement

newMediaImages Still from Seven Samurai 1954 – Suggested Movement

newMediaImages Camera movement Reservoir Dogs Object movement Sky Captain

newMediaImages Balance Factors Affecting Balance: -Size, -Location -Isolation -Brightness -Color -Movement Balance: The arrangement of the objects in a given design as it relates to their visual weight within a composition.

newMediaImages Balance Unbalanced Balanced A balanced composition is sub-consciously agreeable. An unbalanced composition is unsettling or disturbing.

newMediaImages Balance Formal Balance: Approximate Symmetry Formal Balance: Formal or Symmetrical balance occurs when the weight of a composition is evenly distributed around a central vertical or horizontal axis. When symmetry occurs with similar, but not identical, forms it is called approximate symmetry.

newMediaImages Balance Informal Balance: Visual Weighting Informal Balance: Informal Balance is achieved when the elements within a composition are of differing weights, tones, colors, and placement. Balance is achieved by equalizing the force of the elements within the frame.

newMediaImages Balance Images from Vertigo (1958)

newMediaImages Balance Black Narcissus, Cinematography Jack Cardiff

newMediaImages The Elements Lines Forms Mass

newMediaImages Lines Imaginary Lines: Transitional lines are created by the eye while watching objects and people moving around in space. Compositional Lines: Contour lines are created by the people, props, trees, architecture and other objects in a scene. The most basic element of design

newMediaImages Lines

newMediaImages Form Abstract Forms: The shape created by the spatial arrangement of players and objects in relation to one another. Physical Forms: The shape of a physical object created by it contour lines. Common Forms: -Triangle -Circle -Cross -Radiating Lines -L-Shaped

newMediaImages Balance Jules et Jim, Cinematography Raoul Coutard

newMediaImages Balance Dial M for Murder, Director Alfred Hitchcock

newMediaImages Mass The Pictorial weight of an Object Single Mass: An isolated object Unified Mass: A group of objects or figures in close proximity that combine into a dominant element. Characteristics of Mass: -Contrast -Color -Size -Lighting -Compactness

newMediaImages Balance Black Narcissus, Cinematography Jack Cardiff

newMediaImages Black Narcissus, Cinematography Jack Cardiff

newMediaImages Examples

newMediaImages Balance A BOUT DE Souffle Cinematography Jack Cardiff

newMediaImages Composition: An Approach 1.Center of Interest  Isolation  Placement  Contrast (value, colour, light, focus) 2.Visual Hierarchy  Suggested Movement: Lines and transitional lines (suggested lines between shapes)  Actual Movement (both camera and object) 3.Balance:  Pictorial Weight (Informal Balance)  Approximate Symmetry (Formal Balance)  Geometric Shape

newMediaImages

Diane Arbus

newMediaImages