The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

October, 1935 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Thirteen HTION PARKER vening High School, Los Angeles THE SALT BEDS il Metrotone News hot, the mechanics having to wait for it to cool before they could change it. Freeman, of Universal News, who was flying above the course and making the air shots for all, landed and covered the tire seguence and when the other men found out he had the pictures they immediately claimed they were entitled to them as he was covering for all in the air, but Merv thought differently which called for an argument and — another Scotch and soda. Sir Malcolm had to make his return run within one hour *c qualify for the average run in both directions and after a quick tire change and check up he was off again, making the return run somewhere around 296 m.p.h. The A. A. A. officials claimed the intrepid Briton fell short of the 300 mile record by a fraction of a tenth of a mile and Sir Malcolm, good sport that he is, was ready to try again the next day, but after going over the figures they discovered their mistake and notified Campbell that he had averaged over the 300. Sir Malcolm left immediately for Salt Lake City unbeknown to the newsreel men who were busily indulging in a poker game at Camp Rucker. When we heard the news we shoved off for the city and made a statement from Campbell on the roof garden of the Utah Hotel. And that was that, which certainly did call for another Scotch and soda and another and another until far, far into the night. shrubbery and garden balance one another. The result has dignity but perhaps also to some degree, dullness, suggesting as does all such precision, the mathematical exactitude of the measuring stick. The informal arrangement obviously allows the photographer more latitude. Here the building appears in the upper lefthand corner of the picture and is balanced by a mass of foliage in the lower righthand corner. Either balance is acceptable. Both achieve that restful effect of which we spoke in the beginning. UNITY — Unity may de defined as the art principle which ties together the elements and ideas in a picture. It is directly related to balance, is sometimes used as a synonym for harmony, and is often and rightly referred to as the crowning achievement of composition. In the illustration labelled EMPHASIS, the tower is obviously of primary importance. All other elements are subordintated to it, and assume simply the function of balance, background and atmosphere. There is no possible division of interest, and the photographer's intention is plain. In the picture called STORY, the idea itself is the device that ties the whole together, and captures the attention. All eyes turn toward the sign following those of the central figure. Rightly used, REPETITION (a form of rhythm) is an effective means of securing unity. As shown in the illustration, forms regularly repeated carry the eye along so that movement is created and directed. It must be remembered, however, that regularity may pass over the line into monotony. Spacing and proportion are important, and shapes and sizes need not be identical. In the case of the arches, perspective accomplishes our purpose and introduces variety. The arches diminish as they recede, each supplying what someone has referred to as a "broken echo" of the other. The essence of CONTINUITY is logical sequence. Observe that, in the illustration, the eye passes pleasantly through the picture by means of the boulevard, meeting no obstacles that would obstruct the easy movement of the arrangement. The curves produce undulation and flow, a consideration of which again returns us to rhythm. It might be mentioned in passing that continuity is emphasized in the field of advertising, where the picture must be arranged so that, no matter where the eye enters, it will inevitably be led to the advertised product. PERSPECTIVE— Perspective is that quality in a picture which produces a feeling of depth or third dimension. This is of vast importance to the photographer because the single lens lacks stereoscopic guality. The photographer supplies this lack by utilizing both LINEAR and AERIAL perspective. In the case of LINEAR perspective, the feeling of distance is brought about by converging lines (see trees) which appear to come together at some far point. AERIAL perspective is dependent upon atmospheric conditions such as fog, snow, rain, smoke or dust, which tend to diminish the distinctiveness of objects as they recede from the eye. In this fashion depth is created and also, to a marked degree, drama. In the illustration, the intervening haze has rendered the bridge remote and indistinct, and one is conscious of vistas beyond the tree. Perhaps it might not be amiss to conclude this series of definitions by remarking that definitions are dangerous. Rules in the field of photographic composition are dangerous. It is important that all such rules be considered as rungs of a structural ladder. A ladder is merely a means to an end. It is impossible to hide behind it. No sturdy individuality will try. Newsreelers of the Salt Beds — Sir Malcolm Campbell and son seated in front, at hotel in Salt Lake City. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.