Written by Zettl, this article focuses on the importance of being able to fit “the event” inside it’s respective screen whether its a television, computer or motion picture screen.
When talking about “Horizontal and Vertical” planes, there is one section that really grabbed my attention; “Tilting the Horizontal Plane”. Why? because he talks about how we can so easily distinguish a straight line versus something that’s crooked. So what happens when you see this picture of this car?
It’s disorienting, isn’t it? I looked at it, and my first reaction was that I tilted my head to “match the tilt”. I reason that I did this subconsciously to try and straighten it even though its physically impossible to do so anymore because the picture has already been taken.
Based on my understanding of the reading, I would say that this tilted horizon is stressed because of the lean towards the camera or, well you as the viewer. This adds an automatic intensity to the picture.
Just look at it compared to this picture of a car where the horizon is straight:
The car is obviously on a track and I am certain that it would probably go just as fast as the one previously mentioned, but there is something that is clearly less intense about the photo and about the car itself. It suddenly makes it obvious as to why add companies use such particular angles when shooting car commercials; they have to get all of that information and feeling within their frame, the screen.
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