Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

October i8th, 1933 Tm amateur photographer Q 6 CINEMATOGRAPHER a PICTURES of the WEEK O v 7 r* + on the Beginners’ prints reproduced on dome K^ntical Comments & the 0pp0Site page. IT may be a matter of personal opinion, but the three pictures reproduced at the bottom of the ■opposite page — Nos. 5, 6 and 7 — do seem to pull together better than the -others. They appear to exhibit a greater sense of unity, and, as far ■as the composition is concerned, .avoid the complications that prove a drawback in those above. Unity and Composition. To take No. 6, “ Abel Fletcher’s Mill, Tewkesbury,” by H. Williams, as an example, it attains the quality of unity partly by reason of the fact that the light on the small building to the left of the centre is the strongest of any and is contrasted with the strong darks in the same vicinity, and partly because the subject matter, otherwise, falls into simple lines, and its masses are few. The contrast of tone between light and dark, accompanied by reasonable strength of position, creates a con¬ centration of interest that, in the absence of any other similar contrast of equal pull, endows the object on which it takes effect with such importance that it becomes the centre of attraction. The restriction of the masses and limitation of the subject material, as here exemplified, prevent the ar¬ rangement from losing itself in chaos, and from offering the opportunity for distractions to make an appearance, while, at the same time, a sense of simplicity is imparted. With the centre of interest so well defined, and taking into consideration the simplicity of the composition, the work appeals as a whole, and, to use the appropriate artistic term, unity is achieved. That being so, any artistic effect, which may form the motive of the picture, is enabled to tell. The mes¬ sage it is intended to convey is fully and properly expressed, and on this depends its pictorial success. Limitation and Simplicity. It is probable that, were the tone of the lights which occur near both right-, and left-hand margins subdued a little, the feeling of unity would be appreciably enhanced, but, as the picture stands, there is small ground for criticism, nor does this recom¬ mendation imply any deficiency. It is simply that the slight alteration would heighten the impression con¬ veyed by the present rendering. In No. 5, “ Old Minehead,” bv H. Ball, the subject matter is likewise severely restricted, there being nothing beyond the cottage, a fraction of middle distance, and a suggestion of real distance beyond. Here, also, there is only one main light, and, while it does not quite show up with the same force, it is only because the nature of the material does not afford the same contrast of tone. On the other hand, the tone at the edges is already subdued, and the one light is amply sufficient to endow the print with unity, particularly in view of the fact that, as far as position is concerned, it is as strongly placed as the equivalent light in the other. The simplicity of the arrangement, in conjunction with the attraction of the single dominant light, is responsible for the strong impression of unity, which, in turn, enables the motive — the effect of sunshine on the cottage front — to become apparent. Clarity of Statement. A like clarity of statement is shown in No. 7, " Trees,” by V. L. Breeze, where, notwithstanding the paucity of direct sunshine, there is the pictorial motive of luminosity. This arises through the contrast of tone between the light of the lower portion of the sky with the darks of the trees which come against it. The depth of tone in the upper part of the sky and that of the foreground are factors which favour the impression, and, while the appeal of the picture is rather one of mood and melancholy, it still has the unity that characterised its predecessors. When an example like No. 2, " Newcastle-on-Tyne,” by Robert Sauber, is considered in comparison, it becomes evident how valuable this quality of unity is. In this picture, there are figures at the edge on the right ; another group farther in ; the mass of the steamship on the left, and a sky that is cut up and divided by the several bridges and girders. Not only is there an entire absence of a dominating light or dark, or 360 anything to serve as a centre of interest, but the subject matter is so split up and the items so numerous that the eye cannot dwell on any one point with satisfaction, and the interest is dispersed. Divided Attraction. There must be a point which is clearly the centre of interest before that dominance which ensures unity is achieved. With a subject like this it is somewhat difficult to see any possibility of pulling it together with¬ out so much alteration that it becomes a different thing entirely. It would be a condition precedent that the foreground be so re-arranged that it could be viewed as a single mass, or, put in another way, the gap of light tone in the centre would have to be avoided. The figures at the edge would have to be omitted, and those nearer the centre made more prominent by being shown on a larger scale. A greater depth of tone would be necessary in both sky and water, so that the distinction between the bridges and the former were not so pronounced, and, what is as important as anything else, the greatest contrasts of tone should be localised in the group. If this could be done, there would be a chance of the group becoming the centre of attraction in a sufficient degree to enable the feeling of unity to be incorporated, and to permit of the existing divided attraction to be eliminated. Inadvertent Inclusions. The lettered signs in No. 3, “ The Street Singers,” by B. Hall, seem to be an inadvertent inclusion, the effect of which is to create a similar sug¬ gestion of a division of interest. They create a pull away from the quite well-caught figures, which other¬ wise, would serve their purpose ef¬ ficiently. A certain amount of care before exposure might have resulted in their omission, and a similar ex¬ pedient should have enabled the spread-out figures in No. 4, “ Trinidad Fishermen,” by Miss J. A. Ellis, to be more closely grouped, the interest, at present, being too widespread and therefore insufficiently concentrated. “ Mentor.” 17