Week 3
tonal separation, color separation, flat space, limited space, ambiguous space
Tonal Separation
Tonal Separation. Tonal separation is the difference in shades of grayin a black and white photograph. We see a scene in color, whereas black andwhite film will only reproduce the scene in shades of gray. Therefore, anobject that stands out when seen in color, may now blend into thebackground.If there is no tonal separation, objects and areas blendtogether and the result is a loss of detail and clarity.
This lack of tonalseparation produces a dull and uninteresting photograph.Correct tonal separation isachieved by using the correct film and filter combinations, covered in SS0508, good exposure and processing techniques, covered in SS 0509, effectivelighting, and most of all, careful subject placement.Think of tonalseparation as the opposite of camouflage. Where camouflage hides a subjectin the environment. Tonal separation directs the center of interest to thesubject by making the subject stand out from the environment.Example, asoldier in white arctic clothing standing in front of a snow covered hill.He blends in with his environment.By placing him in front of greenfoliage, he will stand out (fig 4-14). Without tonal separation the subjectis part of the background/environment.
color separation
A means of dividing a full color photograph into four separate components, corresponding to the four primary colors used in process color printing—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Process color printing involves overprinting halftone dots of each of these four colors in varying densities, the various combinations producing the wide range of reproducible colors. Consequently, a different printing plate needs to be made of each color and this, in turn, requires separate negatives or positives. (The term color separation refers to both the process and the products of that process.) The process of color separation can be accomplished photographically, electronically, or on the desktop.
Detailed introduction: https://printwiki.org/Color_Separation
How to separate colors in Photoshop: https://www.learnhowtoscreenprint.com/blogs/news/color-separation-in-photoshop-for-screen-printing?srsltid=AfmBOopjvY7ClXA1eeGdfcSLRFflsjai5FNly4-QUpGhE1Nv8xSU8nKe
Flat Space
Flat space is the visual opposite of deep space. It emphasizes two-dimensionality and is defined by flat cues. The main ones being: Frontal Planes, Staging in 1 plane, Textural Diffusion, Movements, Tonal and Color Reduction and Reversing Depth Cues.
Frontal Planes cue is the exact opposite of Convergence. It is the most important flat cue as it creates the best illusion of two-dimensionality. It doesn't feature any longitudinal planes or vanishing point (VP) which means that the edges of the planes won't be as effective in guiding the viewer's eye. The effect of flatness is better achieved when having vertical and horizontal lines parallel to one another.
Frontal Planes cue is the exact opposite of Convergence. It is the most important flat cue as it creates the best illusion of two-dimensionality. It doesn't feature any longitudinal planes or vanishing point (VP) which means that the edges of the planes won't be as effective in guiding the viewer's eye. The effect of flatness is better achieved when having vertical and horizontal lines parallel to one another.
limited space
Limited space is unusual and quite challenging to achieve. As you see in the examples above, it creates a small enclosed area, which is often connected to the notion of intimacy, isolation, or even danger.
Limited space involves using a confined or restricted space to create a sense of intimacy or claustrophobia. This technique is often used in psychological dramas or horror films, such as “Psycho,” to create a sense of isolation and danger. In “Fanny and Alexander,” director Ingmar Bergman uses limited space to explore the complex dynamics of the family and their relationships with one another. The use of limited space creates a sense of intimacy and domesticity that is central to the themes of the film.
Ambiguous Space
These shots – and ambiguous space in general – create confusion, tension, and even anxiety. That’s why a lot of horror films use this technique to drive us crazy. At the same time, the application of ambiguous space might hook our interest, especially if something or someone enters the picture, and we suddenly recognize the spatial relationships. It works like a magic trick: I thought I knew what I was seeing, but, wait a minute!
Ambiguous space in film is often used to set the viewer's mind on a path of interest, in which they might think they know what they're looking at, but they realize quickly that it's actually not what they think. Ambiguous space leaves a sense of “We don't know where we are” in the film.