Assignment #3 (due Thursday, Sept. 28th)

1. Take photos to “exaggerate depth of field,” and then upload two of the best shots (wide angle lens)
2. Take photos to “emphasize on compression of space,” which shows less depth of field, and then upload two of the best shots (telephoto lens)
Note: if you don’t have a zoom lens, then upload two extra wide angle lens shots)
3. Take photos of high angle shots, and upload two of the best shots
4. Take photos of low angle shots, and then upload two of the best shots
5. Take photos of Dutch angle shots, and then upload two of the best shots

When you are assigned to upload two images, you are expected to take many more photos than just two. I think it is understood.

There will be at least one more assignment before the next session on Friday, October 6th.

Some Info. from the Recent Sessions:

A. Foreground/Midground/Background
…In the book Hitchcock/Truffaut, Hitchcock makes the point that a basic rule of camera position and staging is that the importance of an object in the story should equal its size in the frame.

B. Inclusion/Exclusion
…the fundamental aspect of the frame is that it constitutes a selection of what the audience is
going to see. Some things are included, and some are excluded.

C. Lens Selection
…The first decision is always where the camera goes in relation to the subject, but this is only
half of the job. Once the camera position is set, there is still a decision to be made as to how much of that view is to be included. This is the job of lens selection.

…Human vision, including peripheral, extends to around 180°. Foveal (or central) vision, which is
more able to perceive detail, is around 40°. In 35mm film, the 50mm is generally considered
the normal lens.

D. Wide Angle Lens
…With a wider than normal lens, depth perception is exaggerated: objects appear to be farther apart (front to back) than they are in reality…

…With a wider than normal lens, depth perception is exaggerated: objects appear to be farther apart (front to back) than they are in reality. This exaggerated sense of depth has psychological implications. The perception of movement towards or away from the lens is heightened; space is expanded, and distant objects become much smaller. All this can give the viewer a greater sense of presence—a greater feeling of being in the scene—which is often a goal of the filmmaker…

E. Long Lens
…At the other end of this spectrum are long focal length lenses, which you might hear referred to as telephoto lenses. They have effects that are opposite of wide lenses: they compress space, have less depth-of-field, and de-emphasize movement away from or toward the camera…

…This compression of space can be used for many perceptual purposes: claustrophobic tightness of space, making distant objects seem closer, and heightening the intensity of action and movement. Their ability to decrease apparent distance has many uses both in composition but also in creating the psychological space…

Brown, B. (2016). Cinematography theory and practice: Image making for cinematographers, directors, and videographers. (3rd ed.). Boston: Focal Press.