International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

Twenty T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER August, 1934 Composition In Practice By Walter Bluemel PART I. UCH has been written about pictorial composition. The art departments of all public libraries are full of books on the subject. Henry Poore, ^S3 Jay Hambidge, Arthur Hammond, E. C. Lutz, Arthur Dow, Henry Baily, and many other authorities have written on it at length. Photographic magazines contain many articles on this interesting subject which, if gathered together, would make a very valuable volume for every amateur. The amateur has no excuse for lack of knowledge and application of the principles of composition— of balance, transition, opposition, repetition, emphasis, subordination, harmony, rhythm, dynamic symmetry, line, tone, and so on. Each plays an important part in photographic composition. It is not my intention to repeat these principles, for the amateur is concerned not so much with a theoretical discussion of them as with practical hints as to their application. I believe that artists are born, not made, and if the amateur or professional cinematographer does not have an inborn sense of good composition (which education will, naturally, bring out) there is little chance for him to become a great pictorial artist. He may follow all the principles of composition outlined by the best art authorities, but the chances are that his pictures will lack naturalness and feeling and be unimpressive. Art is not a subject that can be treated by rules alone, like commercial and mechanical design, but requires a certain amount of inspiration and a natural sense of composition. Eugene Cour, in his article on "Cinematic Composition" in the June and July, 1933, issues of the International Photographer, states that "Rules may be said to be the guide of the workmen and the discipline of genius." Although many cameramen have become artists without having studied the theories of composition, it is a great advantage to know them — to understand why one composition is good and another is bad and be able to point out the good and bad points. Composition is based on natural laws, and everyone has, to a greater or less degree, a natural sense of composition. This is evidenced in architectural design, in the arrangement of furniture, in landscaping, and in many other common ways. Few people are conscious of it, yet when something is out of place and makes a bad composition they immediately feel that something is wrong and seek to correct it. Good composition, therefore, is very important to the success of a picture, whether it have a plot or be merely a scenic picture. It makes a picture pleasing to look at and holds the attention ; a lack of it is immediately felt, even though not consciously. Composition must not be too obvious or it will draw attention to it and detract from the story. This is not always true of purely scenic pictures, for they depend on striking pictorial effects for their interest, but in other pictures art is art only when it is not obviously so, — when it contributes to the whole effect without attracting attention td itself. Its purpose is to present the subject at its best advantage. The successful cinematographer is one who can strike a happy medium — one who knows when to emphasize the dramatic, when the subject matter, and when the purely pictorial and who can make his compositions natural, effective, and in keeping with the mood of the scene. The purpose of this article is to suggest ways in which this is done. The accompanying still from the Fox picture "Serenade" is a good example of natural composition. The center of interest lies at the point of strongest contrast, in this case the shepherd, who, by the direction of his gaze and his flute, points to the secondary point of interest, the herd of sheep. Both stand out against the light, plain background of the field, and balance each other so that one side of the picture does not outweigh the other. If the shepherd, with his dark clothes, had been placed against the dark tree trunk he would not stand out nearly as well. The tree in the foreground serves the double purpose of framing the scene and of breaking up the blank expanse of the sky. Without it the light and shade would not be as well distributed, and on the screen the white sky would produce a glare which would make the picture harder to look at. Too much sky in a picture is not good, unless it is properly filtered, has interesting cloud formations, or is used for special dramatic effect, such as to suggest the heat and glare of the desert by showing a vast expanse of bright sky. A good rule to follow, also, is never to divide the screen in two with the horizon line, always placing it above or below the center, depending on whether the greatest interest is in the sky or in the land. The same applies in the vertical plane. Except in close shots the composition is usually more interesting when the dividing line and center of interest are not in the center of the picture, as in the illustration. The center of interest, however, should in that case attract the attention to No. 1 — A sample of good composition. A scene from the Fox production, "Serenade"; tentative title. No. 2 — A low angle shot. Cinematographer Dan Clarke shooting "Smoky", in Will ]ames big hoss picture. No. 3 — Sample of a crazy angle shot. Mickey Marigold of the M-C-M staff makes a still of Robert Montgomery. ward the center of the picture, otherwise the eyes will tend to travel out of the picture. Two things must be kept in mind — the motion picture is essentially a pictorial medium, and it must move. Be Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.