Lynne Grainger's Blog

Everyone responds differently to a subject. By this, I mean the content of your artwork, your design, your painting, etc. As the creator, you have the ability to shape how the viewer sees it, even if the reaction to it remains unpredictable. And, quite frankly, in visual communication your goal is to relay a message and move your audience to do something—so response can be measured and guided . That being said, unpredictability and surprise is always a possibility. And that I love. My subject matter? Max and the Grinch. As I stuffed them into the box, I felt inspired to snap this shot, actually, I took several shots, but chose this one. Here’s why. First of all, it’s unedited. All cropping was done in the camera. I wanted a tight crop so Max’s nose was cut off, his antler is blocking the Grinch’s face, so you know they’re sharing tight quarters and you sense the box is small. Both sets of eyes are visible as are the shapes of their heads to give you a sense of who these characters are….recognition and emotion. The angle and crop of the shot create movement, as do the lines of Max’s long nose and long antlers. The dominant element is the box with the characters, however, I’ve allowed for smaller, out-of-focus Christmas ornaments in the background to add to the visual story. It’s purposely shot with a short depth-of-field (f5.6) to create a sense of color and a secondary story in the background. In other words, pay attention in the foreground. It’s not disimilar to Impressionist painters keeping the background loose and unfinished — giving an impression of something that is partially incomplete in its detail. Paying attention to size variation of shape and form brings elements closer or father away from the viewer. And don’t forget color; the red tie on Max grabs your attention — warm colors create excitement, movement — and it’s the complement to the big green Grinch. The touch of red on the out-of-focus ornament pulls your eye back to that area, but it’s subtle enough not to keep you there.  So, harmony in composition, so that all elements are working together (the whole is great that than the sum of its parts). All that being said, I love photography. It’s a passion and helps me see the world differently. And packing up Christmas, Max and the Grinch for another year creates a bit of melancholy within me. And as I reflected on the holiday (tree trimming, the performance of a variation on the Nutcracker, the music of Gloria Musicae, dinners with friends and family, the smell of evergreens, streets illuminated by lights, and the spirit of giving) I closed the box and stored it until 2010. Oh, and finally, don’t over think the whole process.; )