Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
the viewer is in a bathroom, probably at a hotel. In version (B), this content is clarified by the
addition of a hotel key—but altered through the addition of the knife and money, signifying foul
play. The dramatic change in lighting, from even to more extreme, as well as the unusual direction
of the light, enhances the sinister mood and further hints that something is wrong: why is the light
on the floor? In the final version (C), a closer viewpoint helps create a feeling of paranoia—what's
happening beyond the frame is unknown—and focuses attention on specific details: the time on
the clock, the point of the knife, the money, and the hotel key. The manipulation of the light, as
well as selective focus, helps draw attention to elements that may be relevant to the story.
The same figure is shown here photographed from the same viewpoint in different environments.
Although the figure is the focus of the message, the environment affects the tone of the message,
adds secondary meaning, and positions the figure in different relationships to the viewer.
