Framing and composition are keys to photography and, not surprisingly, to cinematography as well. In a new tutorial, YouTuber Kellan Reck offers seven rules for cinematic framing and composition. Of course, adds, NoFilmSchool, none of Reck’s rules are set in stone. Rules are meant to be broken, and in fact, many of our greatest filmmakers have disregarded these conventions in their own work. Read the full Story >>
Photographer Thandiwe Muriu highlights the rich cultural history of her Kenyan heritage through maximalist portraits making use of bold patterns, notes My Modern Met. The images feature models wearing garments resembling the traditional textiles of various African countries and cultures. They stand in front of backdrops to match, creating a brilliant a camouflage-like effect. Muriu’s images—part of a series aptly titled “Camo"—command attention and have an almost hypnotic effect on the viewer. Read the full Story >>
In December of 1974, young radio astronomer Bruce Balick, along with his collaborator Robert L. Brown, published an article in the Astrophysical Journal telling the world of a momentous discovery they’d recently made—a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Nearly half a century later, Balick was able to actually see it: On May 12, 2022, the international Event Horizon Telescope group released the first-ever photo of the black hole to the world—a dark spot with a fuzzy ring of red-orange light. Mashable has the story. Read the full Story >>
Photographer and visual artist Brian McCarty’s father was reluctant to talk about his experiences in the Vietnam War—except, notes NPR, when the two were playing with toy soldiers. Those memories—and the experience of seeing the effects of war up close during a visit to Croatia in 1996—gave McCarty an idea that eventually turned into a series called “War Toys.” The work uses scenes recreated with toys and miniatures to help children recover from the horror of war. Read the full Story >>
