YIN YANG THEORY
(BREAKING DOWN A PHOTO WHEN ANALYSING)
The Yin Yang visual theory is used to help breakdown the elements in an image and understand why the image was captured in a particular way. This theory becomes very helpful when analysing images, to understand the meaning and the message the image is conveying. But more importantly the theory benefits us when taking photos for ourselves as we have the knowledge and ability to capture a photo in a specific way whether that would be staged or using the decisive moment.
When breaking down elements in an image the viewer becomes more aware of why the photographer intended to take the photo in a particular way. Here are the elements we should ALWAYS consider when capturing any image:
MEANING
Refers to how the photographer communicates meaning in an image by thinking about what the viewer may recognize mentally, when they first look at the image. An image can be a form of symbolism, representation, connotation, convey emotion and the image will evoke a different response to every viewer regardless to how the photographer wanted to convey meaning.
JUXTAPOSITION
Is when two subjects are positioned next to each other within the image to create a comparison between the two and to encourage the viewers to think about the subjects in how and why they are differing. Juxtaposition can be used in absolutely anything in regards to photography, it can relate to a contrast in objects, location, colours, shapes and living things. The beauty of using juxtaposition in an image makes the two subjects more distinguishable and recognised in terms of the meaning created.
CONTRAST BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK
Is an effective element within any sort of photography as it relates to composition, creating emphasis on a subject or object and ultimately draws the viewer’s attention. Light and dark is connected with brightness and contrast, tonal contrast, hue and saturation and colour contrast. This contrast can add characteristics to an image and can help photographers highlight on specific parts on the photo in order to make the image stand out. Light and dark also frames the image and creates a certain mood whether that is good/bad.
POINT LOCATION
Refers to where the subject or subjects are placed in the image and how that creates further meaning to the photo. The first point in the photo is the main subject, as it has to instantly grasp the viewer’s attention to look at that particular space in the photo and will encourage the viewer to look at the photo further by asking questions. But as a photojournalist it is important to ask ourselves why we positioned the subject in a particular way and who I am capturing the photo for. This will help us as photographers to explore further into visual meaning and language and how we can stimulate the viewers to observe the image further.
BACKGROUND AND FOREGROUND
In any photo it is vital to think about where the subjects will be placed in the foreground and background of the image. Putting too much in the foreground of the image can distract the viewer and ruin the picture. This fault can happen when the photographer is standing too far away from the subject when they are taking the picture and a normal focal length can create a wide angle of view. Any subject used in the foreground shouldn’t be used as the main focus. The background is the main focal point to where the viewer should be looking. The foreground subject should be out of focus when focusing on a background subject and vise versa. Essentially the foreground contains the leading line that leads the viewer’s eye into the photo, towards the point of interest and the background should stand out from the image.
REACTION
Is what the photographer hopes to receive from the viewers when they look at a photo. Photographers usually think about the reaction they hope to gain before they take the image as reaction motivates the viewers to think about the image. Every individual will have a different reaction to the image they perceive and it is very difficult to try get the same reaction off every person. Reaction is also gained from the person within the photo, for example if taken the image using a decisive moment you will get an unexpected reaction whereas if the image is stage the photographer can be in control of the emotions.
CLUTTER
Too much clutter involved in an image can distract the viewer and move them away from the main subject they should be looking at. If there is too much going on within a photo, it makes it look ‘busy’ and the viewer can become confused to what they should be looking at.
RULE OF THIRDS AND HORIZON LINES Rule of thirds and horizon lines is a powerful element on how the composition in the image is interpreted. Both these have a dramatic effect and enhances an image instantly. Both these techniques make the photo more interesting and guides the viewer to look at a particular part in the photo. The image is split up into a diagram with 9 boxes, illustrated with the picture on the right. The diagram structures the image in terms of composition and helps the Photographer place the subject in a specific area within the image. Rather than having a subject stuck in the middle of the image it is much more effective to place the subject in either of the 4 corners of the middle box. Especially with this photo example it creates empty space allowing the detail of the subject more defined and bold. In regards to horizon lines and placing them in them high within the frame enhances the sense, distance and depth. Whereas horizon lines placed low in the image creates a isolation of the subject and moves the subject closer to the viewer. |  |
By Naomi Pink
Animated documentaries, or Animadocs, use cartoons or graphic novels as a visual medium to reflect cutting edge documentaries which explore strong and powerful political issues and concerns. Such a style is created to make documentaries with such hard hitting subject matter more accessible to a wider audience. Using a cartoon format to represent sensitive and controversial issues keeps the audience at a comfortable distance from the truth behind the films. This is because the representations are not bluntly thrust in front of the audience, such as the photo journalism which came out of the Vietnam War, but instead are to a certain degree sugar coated reflections.
An important example of Animadoc can be found within Ari Folman’s 2008 full length feature Waltz with Bashir. The film largely reflects Folman’s recollections of the 1982 Lebanon invasion, helped immensely by Ron Ben-Yishai who reported the on the event at the time and who also features in the film.
The clip on the right reflects a scene within Waltz with Bashir which is a perfect example of the separation the audience feel from the issues addressed through the use of cartoons. The sequence towards the end which reflects the solder weaving almost rhythmically around the battle ground while shooting is turned from what would comprise of a haunting and shocking scene of the unhinged brave soldier blood drunk and on a death wish is instead turned into a powerful and almost graceful representation of actuality. |
We have found researching into various unique styles of documentary story telling such as Animadoc very useful. Just like the way Chris Marker created an entire new way of portraying films and documentaries with his 1962 ground breaking masterpiece La jetée, such medium as Animadocs among others has given the group strong inspiration to be more forward thinking and diverse within material we produce for the eventual documentary we produce.
Harry Fisher
British Documentary Movement
Wartime documentaries In wartime documentaries were used as propaganda it was a way to influence nations often an unbalanced or one sided argument. Triumph of Will (1934) is a very famous example of wartime propaganda. The documentary was commissioned by Hitler who as was an unofficial executive producer. The theme for this film is the return of Germany as a great power. The documentary is made up of different speeches of Hitlers and other Nazi leaders and also shows extracts from events which took place. |
Britain also used documentary as propaganda, they made the short documentary London Can Take It(1940) the film was made to ensure Londoners and tell them to keep calm. It was also used to made to encourage USA to declare war on Germany. This showed how documentaries could be used as persuasion and really influence large groups of people.
Documentaries in the 1950s
Post war Europe wanted to changes in documentaries, they wanted a see a breakaway from traditional techniques. Film makers began to take more control and explored a direct and truthful approach.
Lambeth Boys (1959) is an example of free cinema movement which sympathies's with working class which is neglected in commercial British Cinema. The documentary try's to to give the subjects space to express frustrations and aspirations. The camera often just moves through the crows with occasional close ups.
There is a narrator throughout this documentary who explains to the audience who the people are and what they are doing. This relates to the expository mode but because the director wants the subjects to act how they would act and does not interact with the subjects it could also be seen at observational mode which is used to ideally show unmediated reality.
Influence of technology 1960+
Smaller cameras became available this led to the introduction of 'fly on the wall' techniques this opened the path to intimate documentaries for Titicult Follies a documentary about patient inmates of bridgewater state hospital for criminally insane. Wiseman chose not to use a narrator in this documentary so that the feel for the film would be different to others and the sound that was naturally created would stand alone.
Television takeover
Many documentaries were in fact made for television but were shown in cinema. A well known documentary to appear on television series is 7up and documentary about the lives of 14 children in 1964. The documentary goes back and visits these children every seven years for 49 years. There is a narrator throughout who tells us who each of the children are.
The move documentary has made means that documentaries are now more available to the public to watch without them needing to go to cinemas. The move also encouraged new forms for example Arts documentary, history programmes and drama/doc.
Jessica Massey
Interviewing Techniques Within Documentaries
In terms of the rules of documentary interviewing techniques, as a group we feel that to access the most honest and believable answers from our subjects we need to build as strong a report with them as possible. This being said, the group are aware that small talk is not always the best way to go about this as the subject may be nervous about the interview and eager to dive straight in.
A lot of the contacts within our documentaries are either friends or familiar acquaintances of individual members of the group. Due to this we feel that we will be comfortable with dropping in mentions of reciprocal friends or associates we may have with the interviewee to ease the atmosphere before the interview is to begin. We also understand that such tactics are risky unless we are certain the subject is still in good stead with said friends or associate.
If the group faces any questions which they feel un-easy or awkward about asking the interviewees for any reason, we understand that an easy way of getting round such an issue is to write the question down. In doing so the group member interviewing avoids stuttering or nervous pauses as they are simply reading off paper.
We appreciate as a group the importance of not interrupting our subjects when they are speaking, be it in mid flow or even when we feel they are near the end of their speech. This is because when the subject is comfortable enough to open up to the camera, the last thing we would want to do is miss an important piece of information. We never know what could be said right at the end of the speech, it could be very important.
Furthermore a tip given by none other than documentary film maker Nick Broomfield suggests simply repeating the last three words said by the subject back to them. In doing so you are ideally finding the phrase which further opens the interviewee’s mind to elaborate more on what they have been saying.
Harry Fisher
Aesthetics of Realism
"Some artists turn from documentary to fiction because they feel it lets them come closer to the truth, their truth. Some, it would appear, turn to documentary because it can make deception more plausible."
Erik Barnouw
This article looks at how some of the truth behind documentaries is slowly deteriorating in order to create a more powerful documentary that has a better conclusion. When the producer decides to do this they immediately change what was once perceived as objective and truthful to subjective and fictional. Why do they do it? A lot of documentaries have this goal that they wish to achieve by creating this documentary. However, when it comes down to gathering the research, footage, conclusion, and truth, they just can’t quite reach this goal. Reality can only get the producers so far. This is the key reason to documentaries that claim to be objective or observational may in actuality be fictitious. It is argued that in this digital age, the audiences have a much lower attention span, and therefore need what they consume to entertain them through visual stimuli or content, be it truthful or not. In relation to our documentary, at this stage of the production I can only hope that it will remain faithful. However, if it comes to it, in order to reach our goal we too may end up creating a somewhat fictitious side of our documentary.
“Hybrid documentaries seek to achieve a higher, more slippery sense of truth, reaching at, but never quite touching, the longed-for Real.”
Ohad Landesman
Rafael Gough
Documentary Filmmakers on Ethical challenge in their work
A constant requirement that all filmmakers are faced with from day-to-day productivity is the ethical challenges they have to ensure and continue to protect. It’s not so much a problem that all practitioners need to abide by, but a set of limitations and rules in order to balance out responsibilities against their practical considerations that help keep subjects/ teams/ public/ audience of the documentary safe. Filmmakers usually aren’t aware of the economic and social pressures that affect them, that there is so much pressure on the text, filmmakers are needed to develop a broader understanding of their problems. To solve this there are various obligations.
Filmmakers face pressure to enhance their drama through character conflict in order to create more drama where no drama actually exists. This therefore possibly encourages filmmakers to alter the story, in order to emphasise emotions such as excitement or danger. The problem here is the democratic decision, in which there needs to be trust from both essential audiences and the subject.
There are many sub rules and regulations filmmakers have to abide by, such as the discussion of the documentary. A viewers faith in the filmmaker needs to be positive in order for them and continued audiences to watch and make the film successful, so reputation rides on the audiences representation of you and your obligation to provide the truth even if it does mean partial manipulation.
Interaction and connectivity with the subjects are important, in order to get the best reaction from them to intensify the drama. So a good-faith relationship would not put your subject at risk, but keeping it more professional than a friendship in order to get the right response for the story. Taking care of the subject is important for their life and well being and not putting them in jeopardy. Such as preventing material that features humiliation or being reused by other filmmakers to produce something else that may misrepresent them.
However many filmmakers take a different approach to their subjects in order to use them cheaply and take information off of them in an un ethical way. Many do not give them the right to decide what goes into the final production and when they watch back have been shown in a more negative representation than had expected. Occasionally they have resorted to bad faith through lying and deception, using power to create something that is not actually there.
Power through the use of deception is very common, however when used accidentally it is probably because they are partial amateur documentary filmmakers. We as learning filmmakers hope to become friendly with our subjects, using power correctly to treat them well and hope they give us the best footage we could possibly get.
Alex Loucaides
