IMMJMA

STYLE, METHODS & APPROACH

Objectives • Students should understand the concepts of style &

method

• Students should be able to analyse the work of other visual practitioners and analyse their works in terms of style and methods

• Students should know to identify and analyse style inspirations for their own works

• Students should learn to test methods and refine skills before applying them in the field

Introduction

think of painting

Students sometimes struggle with the concept of style and methods - and it may help to think about how the different words apply to painting. Let’s take the impressionism for example.

STYLE - Impressionism is a style characterised by elements such as subject matter, which include landscapes and ordinary, every day scenes. Impressionism also emphasises light, atmosphere and movement, painters aimed to capture scenes such as light flickering on water, moving clouds, a burst of rain. They impressionist style is also distinguished by it’s light palettes and pure, intense colours.

METHODS - This style could not be achieved without certain techniques or approaches and Impressionists used new methods to create their paintings, including a technique called impasto, where thick, rapid and spontaneous brushwork is broken into separate dabs. These visible brush strokes capture the essence rather than the details of a subject and give the feeling of movement. They also used a method called broken colour which means that instead of mixing colours before applying them to the canvas, they use layers of unmixed primary colours to capture the effects of light, and again the impression of a subject rather than realistic details.

APPROACH - Instead of painting in a studio, which was the norm before them, impressionists captured the momentary and transient effects of sunlight by working quickly, in front of their subjects, in the open air. They also often painted at a time of day when there were long shadows. These approaches helped impressionists better depict the effects of light and emphasise the vibrancy of colours.

So, there are distinctive styles of painting, photography, filming and writing and so on.

To achieve a certain style, you will need to actively educate yourself on and apply specific methods, tools and techniques, and take certain approaches.

What are style, methods & approach

Style = The aesthetic, appearance, look and feel of the visuals.

Photography and videography are to a large degree personal vision and visual style can vary greatly from one photographer to another, style is about how the photographer sees, interprets and presents the world around them. It’s also about practicalities. If you are a one-person videographer working in a breaking news situation it’s unlikely you’ll be able to or even want to achieve a strong cinematic style. In this situation you’ll need to employ ‘run and gun methods’ that allow you to follow the story.

You can start to think about style in adjectives and ask yourself about the adjectives you would use to describe a series of photographic images. Are the photos colourful and vibrant or pale and desaturated? Contrasty or flat? What kind of emotions do the images provoke? Are subjects posed or not posed? How does this photo make you feel? What is the composition like?

Some aspects of style that you can start to describe, include:

• Colour - bright, vivid, muted, monochrome

• Mood - dark, mysterious, light, fragile, humorous, calm, tense

• Lens choice - wide, medium, tight

• Framing and composition - simple and graphic, layered, complex

• Depth of field - shallow focus, deep focus

• Use of light and colour or tonality - dark, soft lighting, harsh lighting, warm, cool

• The use of movement and motion within images

• Camera settings & equipment

• Post-production

What are style, Methods & approach

Methods = The process, techniques tools used or the steps and workflow taken to achieve a certain style.  

Styles don’t just happen by accident, to achieve a certain style certain methods need to be learnt and employed. Some examples of methods include:

• Using specific equipment or settings, such as particular lenses or cameras. Using a wide angle lens has a certain look. For example, many photojournalists and street photographers use a prime 35mm lens. It’s fast and versatile in any light conditions. Compositionally it’s a wide but not so wide that it causes lots of distortion. It allows you to pack a lot in the frame and it’s also a lens that often forces you to get close and engage with your subjects in a way that longer lenses don’t. Other equipment might include a 360 camera to capture ‘immersive 360 video’ or using lighting tools and techniques to achieve a specific quality of light and mood.

• Shooting in specific lighting conditions, such as certain times of day or night, weather conditions or seasons to capture specific colours and qualities of light for a specific look.

• Using wireless lavalieres and other audio techniques for capturing candid dialogue for observational scenes

• Using a backdrop to isolate portrait subjects from their background

• Using strong cinematic shooting and editing techniques to achieve a poetic video journalism style

• Composing your interviewee to look direct into camera with a tight frame and strong side lighting to achieve a sense of tension and drama

• A workflow that builds in time for separate photo and video shoot days to capture strong stills as well as video footage

What are style, methods & approach

Approach = fit under the umbrella of methods and include the principles and ways in which the photographer, filmmaker or writer tackles a story or issue. It’s about the way we behave and interact with our subject matter.

Types of approaches might include:

Documentary photography - I believe the term documentary describes an approach rather than a visual style. You can't call a photograph a documentary image simply by looking at it.

Slow / Immersive - Isadora Kosofsky describes her approach as ‘immersive’, she works with her subjects for years at a time and does not attempt to maintain the objectivity that most journalists and documentarians do, and forms deep relationships.

Posing / Directing - Annie Leibwitz statically poses her portrait subjects and makes use of props and backgrounds, resulting in images that often look like film stills.

Getting close - Bruce Gilden describes his approach as blunt “The older I get, the closer I get. I don’t want to be sneaky. I’m upfront and blunt. I’m self assured and I treat people respectfully.”

Solutions journalism - Is an approach to journalism that

Narrative journalism -

Observational / Poetic / Expository - Bill Nichols’ documentary modes could also be considered as approaches.

What are style, Methods & approach

Form or format =  also falls under style and methods. Formats refer to the way things are organised / configured / presented / structured

Broadcast TV packages were traditionally dictated by time slots but long gone are the days of the typical news package, they still exist of course but video journalism has a multitude of different formats. Different video formats serve different purposes and suit particular situations and platforms, such as desktop or mobile, or long-form journalism, or watching with the sound on or off.

Different formats include for example:

• Live streaming

• Explainers

• Short-form documentaries

• Portrait series

• Photo Essay

• Classic text feature with diamond structure

• Inverted pyramid daily news piece

• Interactive documentary

• Live blogs

• Visual essays

• 360 video and virtual reality

Photographic styles

WATCH NOW

Start by watching the video seminar by Sharron

25 min seminar on Style & Methodology

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High contrast | Jacob Aue Sobol Low contrast | Simon Norfolk High key | Sarker Protick

Low key | Kevin Frayer Ultra close-up | Jacob Aue Sobol Low contrast | James Whitlow Delano

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esOn the preceding page you can see some general styles that most photographers will use at some time or another.

High-key lighting for example, is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography and describes visuals that are bright and contain little to no shadow. Conversely low-key describes images with predominantly dark tones and colours. Lighting is often a creative decision made by the photographer in order to create a certain mood in the image. High-key images can feel delicate, fragile and light, while low-key can feel moody, dramatic or even mysterious.

Style extends beyond a single photo though. It’s something more consistent across a larger body of work.

There are plenty of general styles, some photographers work with certain lenses and some tend to get closer to their subjects than others.

Some shoot at particular times of day for certain qualities and colour of light. While others work in black and white, or with film or specific cameras to achieve a certain look.

Most photographers use a certain style in a single body of work or sometimes across all of their work in a purposeful and consistent manner.

Some styles are very strong and distinctive, and others not so much. Either is ok, but normally you’ll want your visual style to be consistent. So if you are making a series of portraits or reportage images, or shooting broll for a video you’ll want to keep a visual style that has a consistent look and feel.

Some styles are formed during capture others are formed via post-processing.

Let’s look at two photographers who have a strong and distinctive style. Bruce Gilden and Sarker Protek.

High contrast | Jacob Aue Sobol Low contrast | Simon Norfolk High key | Sarker Protick

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Bruce Gilden: Face

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Bruce Gilden: Face

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esBruce Gilden is a controversial street photographer, you can search his name and find plenty of material about him, his style and the way he works if his work interests you.

One of his recent bodies of work called Face consists of extreme, close up colour portraits of people’s faces using flash. They are often taken in American state fairs and Gilden apparently always asks for consent with the question people “Can I take a picture of your face?”.

There’s a lot more going on in Bruce Gilden’s work than simply the visual style - of course the theme of the subject matter are key too. For now however, let’s focus purely on the visual style.

First, look at the work (https://www.brucegilden.com/book/face) and think of three adjective you would use to describe the images, it could be anything that jumps to your mind.

For me the words STARK, VIVID and REAL come to my mind.

Let’s talk about some of the things that contribute to the style.

For one thing the images are intensely close, focusing on the face with no sense of background or environment. The subjects look directly into the camera and this (uncomfortable) intimacy and directness forces the viewer to scrutinise the minute details and expressions that confront us.

Strong angled lighting illuminates all the details and flaws even more - we have no choice but to linger on the stubble, spots, yellowed teeth, pores, bloodshot eyes, thickly applied make-up. The strong lighting also increases the saturation and intensity of the colours and the clarity of details.

The reddish / blueish colour skin-tones, also emphasises spots, veins, scars etc.

Bruce Gilden: Face

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esSo what methods and approach did Bruce Gilden use to achieve this style? It didn’t happen by accident and various methods, techniques and approaches have been used. Also think about why this style was applied by this photographer to these images, how does the style contribute the message?

Intense closeness - He used either the same lens or focal length (seems around a 40mm to me as there’s also a level of distortion which warps features a little). He has also used a very tightly framed composition. The approach as well as the tools are important too. There is the close proximity of the photographer himself. The intensity of the closeness could never be achieved with a long lens from a distance, there is a palpable tension in the images created by the photographer stepping in to the individuals personal spaces. He gained access to personal space by asking for permission, the subjects are very aware that they are being photographed. Yet the images are made quickly and no rapport is built. Character is certainly revealed but unlike many portrait photographers, Bruce is not seeking the warmer side of his subjects.

Strong angled lighting - A strong direct and angled flash has been used (you can tell that the flash is held above and off camera by the low angle of the deep shadows). Strong flash adds contrast, accentuates details, and makes colours and details crisper and more vivid. A softer, less angled or ring flash would minimise rather than highlight the details and flaws.

Reddish / blueish colour skin-tones - I’m not sure how this has been achieved, perhaps it’s just the natural colour balance, some cameras have slightly redder skin tones while others are creamier. Possibly it’s due to the colour balance or maybe there’s a little post production involved.

Certainly there seems to be some post production applied in terms of clarity/sharpness making the details pop.

Another approach Bruce took to achieve the style and work was to shoot at US state fairs because a lot of people attend giving him more chances of spotting interesting faces. However he says he doesn’t shoot much, just 5-15 pictures a day.

Bruce Gilden: Face

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esOf course too the subject matter and theme also contributes to the images. The subjects are not chosen for beauty, all have some sense of vulnerability, weariness, tragedy even - all are people who seem to have had a tough life. Bruce calls them underdogs and states that this is why he identifies with them. Think again about the style that Bruce has crafted and how it shows how he sees and communicates his subject matter.

“The basis of this project is to show people who are left behind (…) A lot of these people are invisible and people don’t want to look at them and if you don’t look at them how can you help them? When you pay attention to those who are usually ignored, it makes their day. That’s not why I do it. I’m not claiming to be a humanitarian; I’m a photographer. I always photograph what’s interesting to me and it has always been people who are underdogs because I see myself as an underdog.”

“A good photograph for me works well across the frame and also has a strong emotional content. Once I stop the faces, I have to do something else, so I’ll try something else. We’ll see”.

— Bruce Gilden

Bruce Gilden: Face

High contrast | Jacob Aue Sobol Low contrast | Simon Norfolk High key | Sarker Protick

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Sarker Protek

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Sarker Protek

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Sarker Protek

Sarker Protek is a Bangladeshi photographer, his distinctive series titled “What Remains’ won a World Press Photo Award in 2015.

In the photo essay Protek photographed his grandparents, in their later stages of life when they were mostly housebound in their old age.

First, look at the work and complete the E-tivity on the following page. https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo/2015/29542/1/2015-Sarker-Protick-DLS2-AJ

“While growing up, I found much love and care from them. They were young and strong. As time went by it shaped everything in it’s own way. Bodies took different forms and relations went distant. Grandma’s hair turned gray, the walls started peeling off. Objects, letters, old photographs were all that remained”.

— Sarker Protek

E-tivity 1

You’ll see some slides called E-tivities in the online weeks.

An E-tivity facilitates active learning in an online environment.  Some E-tivities involve learners interacting with one another and/or with the course tutor in an online communication environment (e.g bulletin board/chat room) in order to complete a particular task. 

Learners are expected to view the e-tivities of others and a summary, feedback or critique is usually provided, often by the e-moderator but in some cases it may be provided by the learners themselves.

• Before reading further, look at the series “What Remains” https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo/2015/29542/1/2015-Sarker-Protick-DLS2-AJ

• Don’t read any articles about the work or photographer yet, just look at the images at the link.

• Write down 5 adjectives to describe the look and feel of the images. There are no right or wrong answers just write down what comes to mind.

• Do you know or can you guess any of the techniques, methods or approaches that were applied to achieve the style? Please write them down.

E-tivity

SAMPLE

My adjectives are

• Tender

• Ethereal

• Intimate

• Quiet

• High Key

It’s interesting that my adjectives are more about the feel than the look of the images, and of course the look establishes those feelings. The feeling of tenderness comes from the types of moments the photographer has chosen to capture. Old age is a difficult time, it can be awkward, undignified and ugly but Protek doesn’t focus on those. Instead he captures moments of affection, sleep, calm and tedium. The ethereal nature of the images is of course generated by the ultra high-key exposures, which gives a dreamy, transcendental feel which communicates that the subjects occupy a space of transition between life and death, but rather than being dark or scary, instead the images brings a kind of tranquil spirituality. Intimate, the moments captured are intensely intimate, this intimacy can be fond in Protek’s other work too. Finally the pale and faded look made by the exposures echos the images of fading photographs, peeling paint and the passing of time. Another thing that defines Protek’s approach is a strong sense of narrative.

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Sarker Protek

I won’t go into as much detail analysing Protek’s work as Bruce Gilden’s and you should already have done some of thinking about the style and methods used during the E-tivity. Still, I have seen Protek give a talk about the work and a little online research can tell us more about the methods he used to achieve his style. If you look at other bodies of Sarker’s work you can also see a similar style.

The approach is a very interesting one, Protick states that while he’d always been close to his grandparents as a child and that he continued to visit them regularly he didn’t know how to communicate with them as an adult. He used photography as a way to reconnect and spend time with them. In one interview he states “I think I never thought of or saw myself as a photographer who would travel far away and look for their inspirations. As a person I can only photograph things which I am rather very curious about or I am in love with”. This is a nice sentiment I think. Often young journalists think they need to focus on some huge exotic issue, but news value and human interest can often be found all around us.

He said he found the themes of his work over time. “I realized it was not only about the struggle and vulnerability of old age. It was more about time passing

and death”. This is another important learning point - however well planned we are, things often change during fieldwork and we need to keep reflecting on that. Sarker found a technique that heightened the expression of his themes. He worked on the project for a year, developing along the way the ultra high-key technique.

Finally Protek says his early days influenced his current style and approach. He used to photograph the city at night, making carefully composed long exposures on a tripod. This slowness and precision shaped him as as a photographer. At the same time he also made fast and spontaneous photographs with a phone. Protek says now he lives between the two approaches and likes all kinds of formats.

He also states that his style developed organically - and that while he may continue with his strong and recognisable style, he’s open to his interests changing and evolving.

richard avedon

We’ll briefly look at a few more bodies of work to consider their style and methods before moving on to style and approach in video journalism.

In terms of photographic style Richard Avedon is an important figure. He was not a journalist but that doesn’t stop us from analysing his photographic style and methods.

While famous for fashion photography and celebrity portraits, Avedon is also known his work entitled In the American West where he made portraits of everyday working class people such as miners, housewives, and farmers.

The project was commissioned by Amon Carter Museum and took years to complete. He photographed some 700 plus people, with a large format camera. The style is simple, consistent and impactful.

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WATCH NOW

Start by watching the short video on the next page, which gives a good overview of the work and the methods he used to achieve the visual style. I loved

seeing the behind the scenes images of him at work in the video.

How to Photograph like Richard Avedon | Rocky Mountain School of Photography | https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=36&v=LeWSbdBqxzs&feature=emb_title

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richard avedon

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richard avedon

Let’s analyse Avendon’s style with this simple checklist, the list is not comprehensive but a good place to start:

Subject Matter: Working class people of all ages, like Bruce Gilden Avedon seems to generally have selected subjects who show wear and tear from lifestyle and or labour. He photographs miners, cowboys, waitresses, beekeepers and even prison inmates.

Colour palette (or tonality): Black and white. The use of white background alongside flat lighting from overcast days or shooting in the shade gives quite a rich tonal range.

Quality of light: As mentioned before the relatively flat lighting gives a relatively rich tonal range. He specifically shot in overcast light or in the shade. This is a useful technique for managing consistency. I read that there was a lot of darkroom work on exhibited images.

Composition: Very simple, the white background and choice of black and white takes away any kind of environmental detail so we are fully focused on the subjects. Their expressions, their eyes, their clothes, their skin. It’s also important to consider that the images were taken on a large format camera and exhibited very large-scale so an enormous amount of detail could be seen.

Camera settings and equipment: Large format camera. No lighting.

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These images are not made by Avedon. Surprised? Davide Monteleone made “In the Russian East” 30 years after "In the American West”, inspired Richard Avedon and his photographic language of the portrait, his project maps a Russia far from Moscow. Going to the East, towards Asia and China and towards the borders of the new “empire”

Davide Monteleone

RAQIB HAMEED NAIK

You might also be interested in the work of IMMJ alumni Raqib Hameed Naik. He came to the program with excellent writing and reporting skills but no visual skills. He became very interested in photography during T2 and was inspired to do a series of stylised images after a hands on lighting workshop.

He produced a text and photo story called ‘On the edge’ about how ceasefire violations are fuelling a mental-health crisis along the Indo-Pak borders. His work was published in India’s highly reputable Caravan Magazine and you can see the article here. https://caravanmagazine.in/conflict/how-ceasefire-violations-fuel-a-mental-health-crisis-along-the-indo-pak-borders

It’s very different to Avedon’s work, in terms of colour, tonality, mood and lighting but it does use the strong stylistic element of a portable backdrop isolating subjects from their environments.

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I strongly recommend you read the work on line, the extended captions are an integral part of the images too. I omitted them here due to space restrictions.

RAQIB HAMEED NAIK

ISADORA KOSOFSKY

Let look at one final photographer, one of my personal favorites, Isadora Kosofsky. She has made a number of long form documentary photography works. Vinny and David was started in 2012 and is still ongoing.

“Vinny and David” begins with Vinny, then 13, when he was incarcerated for stabbing his mother’s assailant, and shadows him and his older brother, David, age 19; the long-term photo essay focuses on the brothers’ lives in their family, community and respective incarcerations over six years in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The photo reportage also shadows their mother, Eve; her two younger children, Elysia and Michael; David’s ex-girlfriend, Felicia, their two children, Lily and Mary Jane; Vinny’s girlfriend, Krystle, and his daughter, Jordyn.

Take a look at the work before reading further: https://isadorakosofsky.com/vinny-and-david

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Vinny, age 13, prays inside his cell at the juvenile detention center, 2012.

Eve, age 43, cries after receiving a phone call that the juvenile court recommends that Vinny be placed

in foster care, 2012.

Vinny, age 13, lies on a blanket with his mom, Eve, as she sleeps in the backyard of his aunt’s home during

an organized family visit, 2012.

David, age 21, looks at Vinny, age 15, as he smokes a cigarette on the bed, 2014.

Vinny, age 18, holds his mom, Eve, and kisses her on the head after he is acquitted of punching his friend,

who had hit his girlfriend’s nephew, 2017.

Vinny, age 18, lies on the floor with his daughter Jordan, age 1, 2017.

ISADORA KOSOFSKY

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ISADORA KOSOFSKY

Kosofsky’s style is less visually distinctive than some of the other photographers that we’ve looked at. But there is still a strong recognisable style, the style is less about methods such as tools and techniques, and more about the way in which she approaches her subject matter.

Subject Matter: Kosofsky’s focuses on social issues in the US, she tends to tell big issues through the lens of a single individual or group. Topics include mental health, incarceration, substance use, disability rights, gender violences, and senior citizen rights. We see subjects photographed in their homes and everyday lives.

Colour palette (or tonality): Not especially distinctive, but many shots are indoors or captured around ‘golden hours’ so hues are mostly warm and colours often relatively vivid.

Quality of light: Due to indoors and late afternoon shots the light is usually quite soft. In later works, I see her using light and shade more strongly and graphically (for example senior love triangle).

Composition: Often very very close with a wide-ish lens, the ultra closeness brings an intense intimacy. The wide-ish focal lengths allow for the environment and details to be present but often there’s a shallow depth of field so while we have a sense of the environment, but it’s also thrown from focus and therefore simplifies composition.

Camera settings and equipment: Digital SLR I guess. No artificial lighting or other equipment.

Other: Approach seems to be the overriding element of Isadora’s style and the relationships she builds with people and the lengthy timeframes bring a searing intimacy. She also photographs human contact a lot, both moments of affection, connection and conflict. Her website states “She takes an immersive approach to visual storytelling, spending months and years embedded in the lives of the people she shadows. For her, the relationships formed with the subjects are tantamount to the image-making”.

E-tivity 2

Analyse the style of a favourite photographer

(see sample on following page)

This activity idea is taken from https://photographylife.com/personal-style-in-photography/2

Look at the work of a photographer that inspires you. Analyse their style with this checklist:

• Subject Matter:

• Colour palette (or tonality):

• Quality of light:

• Composition:

• Camera settings and equipment:

• Other:

E-tivity

This activity idea is taken from https://photographylife.com/personal-style-in-photography/2

I created this sample using Kevin Frayer - https://time.com/kevin-frayer-wire-photographer-of-2017/

• Subject Matter: breaking news events and daily life. Focuses on faces and expressive emotions.

• Colour palette (or tonality): Sometimes black and white, sometimes colour. Rather low key with deep shadows, colours are sometimes a little desaturated and other times quite vivid. Often uses vignette in post to darken edges.

• Quality of light: Differs depending on conditions, but often relatively soft light

• Composition: Often shoots wide angle, sometimes capturing epic scenes and scale. Other times he is close to human subjects and captures them with lots of environmental details. Dramatic compositions, with strong geometric shapes and lines. Sometimes unusual angles and sometimes with elements on the edges to create natural frames.

• Camera settings and equipment: As mentioned, lens is often relatively wide maybe 24 or 28. Often closer too but rarely telephoto.

Video Styles

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This session is not meant to cover every style of photography or video, in fact it’s barely presenting the tip of the iceberg. Visual style is an infinite subject matter but we hope that by understanding the concepts and by analysing a handful of styles you will be equipped to identify, analyse some styles that inspire you and that you may want to emulate in your own practical work. Once you have identified some style elements and the methods used to achieve them you’ll be able to do your own testing.

In this section we’ll introduce a few videos and analyse their style in much the same way as we did with photography.

The world's most relaxing library

The first video I selected to view is The world's most relaxing library by Graeme Nicol and published on BBC Reel.

I chose this video because I know Graeme’s work and this style was something different and new from him. I liked the way that the visual style was carefully constructed around the feeling he wanted to communicate about this specific story.

It’s a design story about the architecture of a library in China next to the ocean. The space has been designed to merge into the landscape. The visuals beautifully and cinematically highlight and compliment the design.

FYI - BBC Reel collects BBC video content from around the BBC’s multiple brands and verticals on a single platform.

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Take a look at the work before reading further: https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p07f59mr/the-world-s-most-relaxing-library

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world's most relaxing library

So it’s around a 3 minute film let’s break down some of the basics first.

It’s a short form feature video that would fit into the art & design section of a news site. The narrative is lead by a sit down interview with a single character and strong cinematic broll footage.

The footage includes lots of wide, sweeping, gently moving drone (exterior) and gimbal (interior) shots, time lapses, shots of the ocean and environment.

Plus of course there are plenty of shots of the building and architectural delight its self. The filmmaker has worked really hard here to make angles and compositions varied and interesting - giving us a sublime visual tour of the building. Taking us around it’s contours and showing us it’s beautiful plays of light. Some of these shots are very symmetrical and balanced while others are more angled but all use the elements of design to construct graphic compositions with strong lines and shapes.

I guess the moving indoor shots are on a gimbal - we can ask Graeme.

The time lapses of the moving shadows are so wonderful and evocative - they really transport me not just to the location but give me the feeling of the passing of time - just perfect for reading a good book. The time of day has been well planned or anticipated and the golden low light accentuates the deep shadows and graphic elements.

For the interview subject we have some quite classic sequencing but rather than wide medium and tight the shots are all mostly tighter - which feels a little more contemporary. The filmed interview itself is the very classic framing.

One thing that maybe the photographer could have considered was a shorter shutter speed on the exterior time lapses which would have made them smoother. The shutter seems quite high to me giving that staccato time-lapse look - which works great for some things but looks slightly jarring in this piece to me.

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world's most relaxing library

The editing rhythm is slow paced and even - in the beginning mostly exterior shots the shots are almost all 4, 5 or 6 seconds. Interview cutaways are around 3 seconds. Moving into the middle of the film with the more interior sequences. Some shots are a little shorter and faster paced at 3, 4 and sometimes a little longer. Overall there is a slow and even pacing cut to the rhythm of the music which amplifies the sense of calm of the space it’s describing.

There are also some crossfades - remember typically we say straight cuts - but in this particular film they work. Remember a cross fade makes a third composite image and you should only crossfade when that makes sense.

The music is well selected, present but not overbearing - it’s evocative without being overly dramatic and calm and contemporary with a slow rhythm.

Audio - the sound of the sea is really important, the film maker makes sure we really hear it. Though in a perfect world, I think this could still be heightened more. I’d like a richer sound and more present and used more strategically throughout the film. That said, Ambient audio is really powerful but filmmakers often forget about

it - especially when working alone. I know that when working alone this is something I almost always compromise because you just rarely get a chance to do everything. Unless you really have an extended shoot.

So, if you can remember to capture powerful audio it can really bring a scene and film to life.

(Watch Aisha’s Song for an incredible example of soundscape - https://vimeo.com/40576311)

All is all I think the style here works super well for the subject matter. What are your thoughts?

Definition

cinematic /sɪnɪˈmatɪk/

Learn to pronounce adjective adjective: cinematic

1. relating to the cinema."cinematic output”

2. having qualities characteristic of films."the cinematic feel of their video”

— Oxford English Dictionary

Before we go further, let’s consider the definition for cinematic. It’s a term people use a lot but often it can be ambiguous and confusing. To be honest, dictionary definitions like the one on the left don’t really help much.

For me, cinematic filmmaking means using camerawork, including shots, compositions, sequences, montage, edits, sound, music and lighting intentionally to communicate and create mood and meaning that amplifies the scene in front of the camera its-self.

Let’s take a an example, I’m filming a boxer training. I notice the boxer looks weary and bruised from a previous fight. (this is something I want to highlight to the audience). So, instead of shooting typical wide, medium and tight sequencing. I decide to film a much larger ratio of ultra close-ups, I want to show that face, with its bruising and tired lines. I want the audience to see the details of the skin, the sweat, the expressions. In addition I want to capture and heighten the audio for dramatic effect. So I get the mic in very close for really rich sound and in the edit I boost the volume a little so every breath and grunt can be heard. Finally when i’m editing I make fast cuts, sometimes even jump cuts to give a sense of chaos and the boxers punches.

So, a way to think of the word cinematic is as your visual language, using the tools of cinema - shots, sequences, scenes, cuts and post-production to communicate an idea in the same way that written language uses words, sentences and grammer. Cinematic means being intentional, simply using a cool colour cast, or using a lot of slow motion or shallow depth of field IS NOT cinematic. They are techniques that you can use cinematically but used without purpose or intent they just gimmicks.

It’s not about making things look pretty, it’s about adding meaning.

Vide

o St

yles

I will break down two more films in the coming days and update the PPT for future reference. For now, there is plenty to work with.

For video style, I also suggest you go back to the Padlet resource that categorises different categories of online video journalism https://immj.padlet.org/immjbeijing1/webvideo. Remember, this categorisation is by no means perfect but it’s still useful when analysing online video journalism.

One more tip - is to go back and analyse your own work - you may have a tendency for a certain style and you could try to strengthen that - think about whats working and not in your own works.

Other films to analyse:

Charlottesville

DJ’s 360 film

NYT Alzheimer

copying

Please do not think that by emulating another photographer or filmmaker you are copying.

Sure you wouldn’t want to copy the story and apply the same style, that’s just plagiarism. But applying another visual journalist or storytellers style to your own original story - that’s totally ok. It’s normal, anyway you’ll rarely copy anyones style exactly - you are always going to change things a little so don’t worry about that. Trying out different styles is a great way to learn and to develop your own style.

For the photographers and film makers that really inspire you, try to get as much information you can about how they work - analyse their work and scour the internet for interviews and articles. Look at how their work and style developed over time. Hell, you can even try reaching out to them. They may not reply… but they might!

Take notice:

style, Methods & approach are not…

Sometimes when students identify style inspirations they make the mistake of finding reports on similar stories or issues. We are looking for STYLE, not SUBJECT inspirations.

While it’s true that the themes and issues that a journalist works with can contribute to their style, subject matter is just a tiny part. When tutors ask you for STYLE INSPIRATIONS - we are NOT looking for coverage of the same story or issues we are looking for styles and approaches that you can apply to your specific story or project. Please take note.

Style, Approach & Methods

What are style, approach & methods (and what they Aren’t)

 

Style = does not equal subject matter, issue or topic.

When you are looking for style inspirations it’s unlikely the examples you find will deal with the same story, subject or issue that you are reporting on. If they do then that should be pure coincidence. It’s also a point of caution, because if you are approaching a subject matter in the same style and approach as someone has already done you are in danger of copying. You shouls be aiming to do something fresh and original.

Maybe you are looking at a subject matter that has been covered many times before but

E-tivity

• Submission Instructions

• Simply upload your 5 images in the correct channel with your name: https://immj.padlet.org/immjbeijing1/style_exercise

• Deadline: 11th March

Make five photographs in four set styles and one of your own choice. Some of the styles you’ll already know, others you’ll need to research and analyse. For the portraits you may use the same person or different people. It can be someone you know or not. The four fixed styles are:

A portrait in the style of Richard Avedon - White background (could be a wall), black & white, natural light in the shade though if you want to use a reflector it’s ok. 50mm focal length on full frame camera - adjust if your camera is not full frame. Compose full body or two/thirds.

A portrait in the style of Steve McCurry - Try to shoot at ‘golden hours’, not always easy to achieve in China but try your best. 50mm lens. Fairly tight composition. Eye-line and expression are important.

A street photo in the style of Alex Web - Vivid colours maybe tough to achieve, but aim for it. Try to work with layers.

A documentary photo in the style of Sarker Protek - Try to find a subject matter that is enhanced by this style, you could make a picture of a person or an object or environment, if you notice many of Proteks images are kind of still lives of objects.

Any kind of photo emulating a photographer that inspires you!

Readings

• 10 video formats to tell stories from your mobile phone - https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/10-video-formats-to-tell-stories-from-your-mobile-phone/s2/a683786/ | www.journalism.co.uk

• Why Do Photo Contest Winners Look Like Movie Posters? - https://petapixel.com/2013/02/19/why-do-photo-contest-winners-look-like-movie-posters/ | PetaPixel

• Why Salads and CEOs Are Photographed the Exact Same Way” High-flash photography has infiltrated magazines, Instagram, advertising https://www.racked.com/2018/9/4/17791514/direct-flash-photography

• How to Shoot Like Martin Parr https://www.photocrowd.com/blog/171-how-shoot-martin-parr/ | photocrowd

• 9 Types of Visual Storytelling on Mobile - https://gijn.org/2019/01/02/9-types-of-visual-storytelling-on-mobile/ | GIJN

• Beyond 800 Words: New Digital Story Formats - https://gijn.org/2017/11/06/beyond-800-words-new-digital-story-formats/ | GIJN

Practitioners mentioned

• Bruce Gilden

• https://www.lensculture.com/articles/bruce-gilden-face

• https://time.com/fair-faced/

• https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/aug/19/bruce-gilden-face-street-portraits-photographs-book

• https://www.nowness.com/series/photographers-in-focus/bruce-gilden-magnum

• http://leicaphilia.com/bruce-gilden-has-balls/

• https://www.diyphotography.net/martin-parr-talks-with-legendary-magnum-street-photographer-bruce-gilden-about-his-life-and-work/

• Sarker Protik

• https://www.urbanautica.com/interview/sarker-protick-what-remains/1060

• 2015 Artist Talk Sarker Protick - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4KPPmEw7rQ | Delhi Photo Festival

• Kevin Frayer

• https://time.com/kevin-frayer-wire-photographer-of-2017/

• https://time.com/rohingya-exodus-myanmar-refugees-kevin-frayer/

• https://petapixel.com/2018/03/05/black-white-comparison-retouching-tell-us-photojournalism/

• https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/china-beautiful-photos-take-you-behind-scenes-rural-sichuan-opera-performance-1558674?fbclid=IwAR2vnyUTEkFjWDC2t-6--KpEgsLyKPP9gzfBnRRoqLoxzzWxNW2uIxumAb8

• https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2019/05/business/huawei-cnnphotos/index.html

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kevin-fayer-drag-queens-c_n_6763674

• Isadora Kosofsky

• Senior Love Triangle - https://vimeo.com/378286034

• https://medium.com/re-picture/listening-to-those-who-are-photographed-e4058f538185

• https://slate.com/culture/2014/10/isadora-kosofsky-vinny-and-david-is-a-photography-series-about-two-brothers-that-began-with-a-visit-to-a-juvenile-detention-center-photos.html

Practitioners mentioned

• Alex Web

• https://www.vogue.it/en/photography/interviews/2012/05/23/alex-webb/

viewings

• Finding Photographic Style - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuV7bspAh1Q | B&H Photo Video

• Photographers in Focus Turning the camera on shooters in action (A series) - https://www.nowness.com/series/photographers-in-focus | Nowness

FYI

I have chosen a number of different photographers - some that I love and some which I don’t love to try to keep some objectivity. Because after all style is on some levels a subjective matter.

So please remember for this session I have tried to keep my own opinions out of things and keep my mind open.