The document discusses various sequencing and animation techniques that could be applied to a photography project on contrasts. It analyzes six photographs that illustrate sequencing by showing stages of motion. The author is inspired by one photo's blending of images and another's varied layer opacity. They propose sequencing a rolling ball with sharp edges or animating contrasts of speed and subtle movement. Depth of field techniques like minimum focus and selective color are also discussed as ways to emphasize contrasts between blurred and sharp areas or sizes of objects. The author feels these techniques could improve their work on contrasts.

1. SEQUENCING:
A particular order in which related
events, movements, or things follow
each other
I think that these six photographs are really inspiring because they
illustrate the idea of ‘sequencing’ in a unique and interesting way. I love
how this technique can be adapted to fit any theme and also co-ordinate
with other techniques to create unique results each time, like the bottom
left photograph. The bottom left photograph has been composed using a
variety of photographs showing the man following a path on a mountain
bike. Where some final images may blend the photos together to create one smooth, finished photograph, this one has
incorporated the photo-joiner technique we learnt in Unit 1, which suits the edgy, urban tone of the image. I feel that
combining these techniques together within my Unit 3 work will be successful, if I was for example, to look at contrasting
shapes. A basic idea for me to look at might be that I photograph a ball rolling across a surface, but give the actual outline of
the image sharp, rocky edges to contrast against the smoothness of the ball. I also particularly like the bottom right
photograph of the girl playing volleyball. Whilst most sequencing photos merge images to show a continuation or
movement, I like how the different images have been altered slightly to give off a visually interesting effect. There is a
contrast in this photo, with the opacity of the different layers varying at different stages. This would be an interesting
technique for me to apply to any of my contrast photos because the contrasts can actually be ‘added in’ afterwards, whether
I change the opacity, tone, levels etc. of each layer within the photograph.

2. ANIMATION:
A simulation of movement
created by displaying a series
of pictures or frames.
Photographic animations, sometimes referred to as a cinema-graph, can be produced
by something as simple as a standard digital camera. An animation can take form by
using a faster shutter speed to capture many pictures straight after each other, and
then using software such as Photoshop to play the images in a sequence and then
saving the images as a GIF file. Some people may also use a filming option to shoot a
short sequence that they can reduce and possibly repeat to create and artistic
animation. The animation doesn’t necessarily have to consist of a sequence, the same image could be used and repeated,
with changes made to each one, to show a progression, like the bottom right image. This particular animation is inspiring as
I can adapt this particular technique with my own theme of contrasts – I could use one image and repeat it many times,
changing the colour or style of each one so that they all contrast with each other and standout well. The top left animation
of the subway is also quite inspiring to me as I feel that I can use a filmed-style animation to show contrasts of speed. Like
this animation, I could film something which is normally quite fast-paced, and then change the reduce the speed of the
animation to show contrast, and vice versa. The top middle and right animations also greatly interest me as I like how
unusually slow the actual movement is, especially how subtle the actions are. At first it appears to not move at all, but when
you really look you notice that the eyes (middle image) and the light flicker (right image) is moving. I think this subtlety is
much more effective and encapsulating, and would work well if I were to do a fashion-style shoot for my Contrasts work.

3. DEPTH OF FIELD:
The distance between the
nearest and the furthest objects
that give an image judged to be
in focus in a camera.
Depth of field can be explored in two different ways: minimum depth of field
(shallow) or maximum depth of field (deep). Maximum depth of field can be
seen in the bottom left and right images, where everything in the image is
sharp and in-focus. The remaining images are all minimum depth of field where
the objects closest to the camera are in-focus whilst the background is blurred
out. Although I think that both techniques can offer visually interesting
photographs, I feel that minimum depth of field is much more creative and will
more beneficial to my theme of contrasts as having the difference between blurry and sharp will also help to distinguish the
contrasts photographed – plus the technique in itself offers a contrast – blurriness and sharpness. My favourite image here is
the one on the top left, where the photographer has used both minimum depth of field and selective colour. These are both
techniques I know how to employ to my work now and I feel this could help improve the quality of my images when I
photograph colour contrasts. Minimum depth of field is also useful in manipulating the size of an object in a photograph, like
the top middle image. The blurred person in the background is made to look huge in comparison to the water droplets in the
foreground, something of which I will be able to incorporate into my own Unit 3 work if I decided to look at the contrast of big
and small objects and people. Although depth of field is more appropriate in some images than others, I think that it is a really
useful technique to learn and adopt and will help to make all of my work of a better quality.