Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

[hi amateur photographer a 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a August 23rd, 1933 Pictorial Analysis Every week one of the pictures reproduced on an art page will be analysed in detail for the benefit of readers of the paper who are seeking to improve their pictorial work. cc HILL-TOP,” by P. Service. THOUGH there is no distance visible in this picture, there is, nevertheless, an excellent suggestion of air and space, and, despite the small area of landscape, there is also a pleasant expression of sunshine. The sense of distance is furnished by the luminosity of the sky, and both in the figures of girl and dog, as well as in the rocks of the foreground, there is quite enough shadow to make the sunlight evident. Quality of Motive. Ostensibly, the subject is a figure study, the interest in the two figures being para¬ mount. On account of their scale, their representation must rank as the prior motive, but the presence of sunshine and the feeling of light, air and space so embellishes their presentment that these effects take a prominent place in the appeal of the picture, and become a secondary source of artistic attraction. The figure of the girl (1), if posed, is in a natural and graceful attitude, and the fact that she is well placed within the picture space is quite sufficient to give her the importance she should possess as the centre of interest. This importance is stressed by her scale and proximity, but the prime factor in the attention she excites, apart from that de¬ rived from her position, is the effect of sunshine upon her figure. It forms the most prominent mass of light tone, and, because the eye is inevitably at¬ tracted by extremes of tone, the pull exercised by her figure is enormously enhanced. As it happens, she is placed a little to the left of the traditional strong position for the chief item — athwart two of the points formed by inter¬ sections of imaginary divisions of thirds — and, on this account, a second¬ ary accent is necessary to complete the form of the arrangement. Hence the inclusion of the dog (2). Balance and Formation. The presence of the animal in question not only balances the position of the figure, but, taking the two in conjunction, it also helps to suggest a formation approximating that of the pyramid, of which the head of the girl supplies the apex, a line from thence through the head of the dog to the rocks on the right-hand side ; the left-hand side being suggested by a line from the head to the edge of the print on that side, and the base being furnished by the rocks at the bottom of the print. The formation, perhaps, is not very definite, but it does, at least, exhibit much of the strength attaching to this form of arrangement. There is the possibility that, had the two figures been closer together, the strength of the composition would have been somewhat enhanced, and their pull, instead of being distinct, would have been united. Moreover, while the dog would serve equally well as a balancing accent, the revised arrangement would provide a greater space in front of the group than behind, and such a disposition would not be without its advantages. The force of the pyramidal formation would remain, and the only difficulty that might be expected is in securing the co-operation of the dog. It might not be amenable to posing in the required position, and, possibly, it may have been the wiser thing not to have endeavoured to induce it to move, for, in so doing, the present arrange¬ ment, if open to minor criti¬ cism, might be so impaired that no picture would re¬ main. There is no real ob¬ jection to the existing com¬ position, which is perfectly sound, but there is equally little doubt but that, with the two in closer proximity, it would pull together rather more effectively. Sky Tone and Effect. It will be observed that the gradations of the sky are well marked and that there is a considerable difference between the depth at the top and the lighter tone approaching the landscape. Apart from the admirable feeling of luminosity which is imparted by such an ar¬ rangement of tone, it is useful also in that it tends to concentrate, in further measure, the interest in the figures. The top of the well-shaped cumulus cloud, too, forms a line that leads up to the figure with good effect, and the straighter forms above also ex¬ hibit a similar tendency. The whole thing seems very well contrived, and, if the author was favoured with a little fortune in securing so graceful a model, and in the occurrence of so pleasing a sky, every one of us could do with a little luck at times. “ Mentor.” A 20 182