Narrative And View Point

 11/02/15

Narrative And View Point 

For this task i am going to think about capturing a narrative within a single image. 

When preforming this task i will think about creating tension within the composition of the shot with regards to the placement of my subject matter (i can refer back to my composition task for inspiration) I will also think about how i might lead the eye of the viewer to elements within my image so that it is "read" in a particular way. I will aim to create an image that intrigues the audience and leave them asking questions about the image and thinking perhaps more deeply about the meaning of the image creating a sense of intrigue and mystery to be solved, there for making them create their own narrative in a way about my image. 

By using various camera techniques i can alter the viewers perception of the image for example different camera angles places the viewer in different positions within the image and can create a different atmosphere. 

High Vantage Point:

Alexander Rodchenkos 'Courier' Portrait is a good example of a high vantage view point. 

This image was taken when new developments of cameras meant that people could begin to use cameras that were more portable, and so the way in which images were taken was changed. 

Diffrent angles could be experimented with and people began to discover that this did indeed give a very different feel to each of the image. 

This image taken from a high vantage point places the viewer in a position above the man on the phone. He is not looking up at the viewer and so this gives a sense that the viewer is undetected by the man and in a sense listening in on him, this is then amplified by the fact he is on a phone and makes the audience start to make up a narrative about the image , e.g. he is having a private phone call, the viewer has to sneak around him other wise he would not say what he is saying over the phone. 

Image Framing:

This image taken by Emmet Gowan, displays a beautiful example of how framing in an image can have a big effect again on the overall atmosphere and narrative of a image. 

The dark frame of the shadowing of the car in the image creates a narrow tunnel of view for the viewer and forced their gaze directly to the man in the image. The man in this image is looking fairly serious and potentially angry and so narratives are made by the viewer in this image again 'could he be interrogating the person he is looking at?' The view point is that he is looking directly at the camera and so directly at the viewer of the image. This places the viewer inside the image and emerges them more, also the person then assumes that he is looking at another person as they would associate themselves in this situation in the image. The dark band in the image creates a sense of entrapment and enclosure and creates a sense of dark tension. 

Also present in this image is a triangular relationship between elements in the image. The man and then the houses are very clear in the image and two focal points. Then the connection with the viewer to the image due to the mans gaze includes and connects the audience to this triangle. (almost like clues of what the image is about).

The framing of the images can also be used to change the perspective and 'role' of the audience for example in this painting "love Letter" by Vermeer 1667, the framing of the door ay in the image creates a separation from the viewer and the subjects in the painting. It also creates distance swell this combined with the fact the two women are not looking at the direction of the viewer creates a sense of 'sneaking' or 'spying' on the women and changes the mood as opposed to the doors not being present.

David Hockney actively breaks up the frame in his paintings to make the audience view each individual frame as this forces them to notice more on a whole as each frame will be scanned individually by the viewers eyes as they are drawn to look at each segment:

Balance And Tension:

Garry Winogrand shows a good example of balance in this image as the elements in the image are evenly placed and there is no other elements other than these 3 to distract the eye. Also all the elements are connect as the man wearing a hat connects the second man who is sat below a hanging hat, to that hat swell. Again this is creating a triangle relationship between these elements and they all direct the viewers eye to each one. These is also the balance of the white background and strip of dark on either side of the frame. A tension is created between the two men in the shot due to their eye contact to one another and a tension of space is created with the man sat down and the hat hanging above his, as the viewer makes the connection of him to be wearing it and so is very aware an almost measuring the space between his head and the hat.

Cropped Shots:

Sebastiao Salgado's 'Going up' photographs shows an example of how cropping images exaggerates a meaning or narrative and how an image can be very intriguing even with only some parts of a subjects body present in an image and how this can actually emphasise a narrative

This image draws focus and attention to the strain in the peoples legs in this image as well as the dirt they are walking through and the ragged cloths they are wearing. All these hardships for the people in the image are highlighted due to the crop and the lack of identification (removal of faces) makes the people more identifiable with ourselves or people we know and sympathise for the individuals. 

I decided i would take  serious of shoots to try and capture my narrative images in various locations to try and have a variety of images to choose from. I will then pic out 4 of my favourite images and write a synopsis on my intention of narrative and idea of techniques behind the images i have taken.



First Set:

Second Set:

 Third Set:

Fourth Set:

Final Choices:

My idea being the narrative of this image was of a longing for travel or adventure. The girl in the image is looking at a clear open river with boats on it that represent this longing for travel. i placed the girl in the image to the side of the frame to have the open river exaggerated and clear in the viewers line of focus so they could experience a similar feeling (as i have placed the viewer in a position where they too are looking out at the idea of potential freedom and adventure yet the placement of the girl makes them relate this to her thoughts). I chose after some experimentation to not have my subjects face present in the shot as it created a more emotional focus on her rather than physical, the viewer donst know who she is but get a sense of knowing something about her. And i felt that this just added to the wonder of the narrative and desire to find clues in the image. I decided to have this image in black and white as it removes the distraction of colour and so the viewers eye is lead evenly down the gaze of the river. Also it creates a charmingly grungy feel to the image and their fore to the girl and emphasis her adventurous personality. The cloths the subject is wearing give a sense of rebellion about her and add to this dishier to leave. The image is sectioned into 3 strips making the scene appear visually pleasing and in the rule of thirds with the light reflection being the centre strip.

I tried a similar image to the one above and change the colour. I made the colours a slightly muted daydream haze in this image to again emphasise the idea of longing to leave and for adventure. i made the boats slightly brighter in this image to exaggerate means of travel and therefore leaving. 

My thoughts behind the narrative for this image was the subject on the bridge waiting for some one or something outside of and not involved in the shot but not wanting to draw too much attention too themselves swell as keeping their identity hiden which is why i have made the subject wear the hood up in this shot. I have played the viewer from far away from the person and have the person quite small in the shot to create a sense of the person trying not to have too much attention drawn to them and trying to slink into the background. The audience is distant from the subject and so not connect with her creating a sense of the subject waiting for something they don't want other people to be involved in. The position of the subject leaning on the bridge is casual and contrasts with the hood being, emphasising the suspiciousness of her. There is also an eery sense about this image due to the cloaked subject on the bridge and the presence of the small doll on the left in the tree. It gives a sense of abandonment and something darker. Loss of innocence which also relates back to the act of the subject and what she is waiting for.  There is a sense of repetition in this image swell as the shape of the subject is repeated and imitated by the shapes of the two trees to her left and the triangular pillar further left. 

The theme for this image was along the lines of a witchcraft narrative. The presence of my subject matter was very important and played a big role in creating this narrative for my image but also the lighting i used along with the angle of the shot what creates a more unusual and uneasy feel, as though the viewer has fallen to the ground and has now got a low angle view. the hand present in the images creates a sense of not being alone and another mystery person being present and hidden by the shadows, the viewer is placed in the lighter part of the image and so is exposed and more vulnerable in the shot. 

This image removes the identity of the subject by having their face hidden by a large black skull making the person in the image appear rather thretening by creating  sense of strangeness about them. the fact that the person is so close to the camera (an therefore the viewer) and yet they cannot see who they are also create threatening feel about the image. The narrative i had in mind behind this image was that of a dark cult event, the person involved in the image being involved in a dark form of ritual. However i wanted to have my image in a more normal location and so involved slightly in the image a part of a door. This connects my image to a more homely location, yet the inclusion of the weathered grungy ladders draws my image away from looking 'homely' and emphasises the darker side of the image. The connection to this idea of my image being set in a home made the image appear more seedy in a way and gives the feeling that it could be any person involve din this image but creates a more darker feeling towards the home of the individual. The audience is connected however due to the gaze of the skull and direction of the subjects body and so feels almost targeted in a way by the subject and could be placed in the position of someone involved in the ritual or a victim of it. The first present just below the subjects face creates a ghostly more supernatural feel to the image while connecting it again back to this idea of ritual and cult event as fire is often stereotypically involved.