What is a Picture

The Art and Science of Depiction What is a Picture? Frédo Durand and Julie Dorsey MIT- Lab for Computer Science Photoshop assignment • Perspective – Converging perspective is OK in the 3D real world – It is not in 2D • Distracting elements – Are usually not distracting in “reality” – But are harder to “filter out” in the picture – The image does not “read” as well What is a picture? 2 Reading • Photo-surrealism – Unable to detect discrepancy – Non realistic physics helps tell story • Jet Lighter – – – – New approach to making images Photos are the new building block to make photos Very different from traditional montage The same may happen to cinema (Lucas) What is a picture? 3 Discussion • Visions of Light What is a picture? 4 Visions of Light • Intuition, realize afterwards • Craft, not art • Dominance of the actor – Must be beautiful – No shadow on faces – Dietrich more luminous, pops out • Film noir • Color in The Last Emperor • Communication Director Photo-director What is a picture? 5 Visions of Light • Formal rules / breaking rules – The rules are broken, not eliminated – Only when necessary – The counter-example does prove the rule • Difficulty with new language – Silent to talky, Black and white to color, wide format • Invention – Technological – Pictorial, new language • Importance of fresh eyes • To be “realistic”, do not use formal rules What is a picture? 6 Relativism of realism What is a picture? 7 Questions • What makes a picture a picture • Would a 100% faithful hologram be a picture? • Could it be artistic – Would it be better than a “normal” picture – Would it be inferior? • Example of cinema – – – – Static to dynamic Silent to talkie Black and white to color 3D 8 What is a picture? What is art • • • • • • Craft (Painting, Cinema) Religion Beauty Self expression Emotion Enhanced experience What is a picture? 9 Plan • The chain of representation of reality • Duality of images 2D/3D What is a picture? 10 Reality • Objective, physical • May be imagination – But always references to reality Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective What is a picture? 11 The Artist • Visual system – Not straightforward! Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective 12 What is a picture? The Artist • Visual system • Intention • Context Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective 13 What is a picture? The Picture • Flat, limitations • Seen in a given environment, conditions Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 14 The Beholder • Visual system • Interpretation • Context Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation optics perspective What is a picture? 15 Picture Visual system environnement limitations The Chain of Depiction • Differences, Mismatch – – – – Artist Context social historical artistic Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material Context selection interpretation intention Conditions message Perception Message Beholder Selection Context social historical artistic selection interpretation optics perspective Picture Visual system environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 16 Context • • • • Historical Political Gender Artistic Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation Visual system Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 17 Conditions • Darker • Distance • Etc. Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation Visual system Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 18 Perception • Is the perception of pictures different from the perception of reality? Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation Visual system Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 19 Perception picture/reality • Photos usually do not look distorted • Why is the photo of the photo distorted? What is a picture? 20 Picture vs. Reality • We see reality the way we see pictures • Not the other way around • • • • Make up Stage lighting Statues as 2D views Architecture un-distortion What is a picture? 21 Message, selection • How can the artist transmit a message and select what the viewer perceives Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation Visual system Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 22 Selection • Viewpoint selection, framing What is a picture? 23 Selection • Depth of field What is a picture? 24 Selection • Edge burning What is a picture? 25 Selection • Lighting What is a picture? 26 Selection What is a picture? 27 Message, selection • How can the artist transmit a message and select what the viewer perceives • Caption Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Beholder Context social historical artistic selection interpretation Visual system Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 28 Caption What is a picture? 29 Caption, context • Christina’s world, Wyeth What is a picture? 30 Making pictures • Simple in principle: Draw or paint what you see Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system optics perspective Reality Light transferts Objects Material Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 31 Making pictures • Simple in principle: Draw or paint what you see • Problem: Artist what we Visual system Context social see is not historical so simple artistic selection interpretation intention message Reality Light transferts Objects Material optics perspective Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 32 Making pictures • Previsualization (Adams) Reality Light transferts Objects Material Artist Context social historical artistic selection interpretation intention message Visual system optics perspective Picture environnement limitations optics perspective What is a picture? 33 Making vs. analyzing pictures • Practice • Feedback What is a picture? 34 Making vs. analyzing pictures • Practice • Feedback • Clouds, Constellations • Rorschach What is a picture? 35 Goals of pictures • Optical vs. Haptical • What we see vs. What we know • What we feel/mean • Other “channels” – Sound, data, etc. What is a picture? 36 Do we always need photo-realism? What is a picture? 37 Plan • The chain of representation of reality • Duality of images 2D/3D What is a picture? 38 Duality of pictures • Pictures are both – Flat 2D objects – Depictions of 3D scenes • The dialectic between these two essences is crucial What is a picture? 39 Duality of pictures • Magritte • Anecdote Matisse What is a picture? 40 Duality of pictures • Magritte • Anecdote Matisse What is a picture? 41 2D/3D What is a picture? 42 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 43 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 44 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 45 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 46 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 47 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 48 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 49 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 50 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 51 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 52 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 53 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 54 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 55 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 56 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 57 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 58 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 59 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 60 Is it 2D, is it 3D? What is a picture? 61 What makes it 2D • The surface of the picture is visible • The marks are visible (brush strokes, grain, scratching film…) • Absence of one visual channel (color, texture…) • Letters • Accidental viewpoint • Absence of shading • “non-realism” What is a picture? 62 Interaction 2D/3D • Celtic knots • Islamic arabesques What is a picture? 63 Interaction 2D/3D What is a picture? 64 Interaction 2D/3D • The image is 3D • The message is in the 2D What is a picture? 65 Do we always need photographs? • Focusing on the 2D aspect emphasize the “potential” side What is a picture? 66 Perspective correction • 3D verticality must be translated as 2D verticality What is a picture? Snapshot-Perspective-Speed, aperture-Filter-Lighting-Processing & Print-Make up-Retouching 67 Perspective distortion • The 3D symmetric sphere is projected as a 2D asymmetric ellipse What is a picture? Snapshot-Perspective-Speed, aperture-Filter-Lighting-Processing & Print-Make up-Retouching 68 The School of Athens, Raphael • Sphere should project to an ellipse What is a picture? Snapshot-Perspective-Speed, aperture-Filter-Lighting-Processing & Print-Make up-Retouching 69 3D and 2D attributes • Show a dice to children (~6-7) • They usually draw a rectangle • The rectangle can stand for one face What is a picture? 70 3D and 2D attributes • Show colored or numbered dice to children (6-7) • The still draw a rectangle • But different colors or many points What is a picture? 71 3D and 2D attributes • • • • • Show colored or numbered dice to children (6-7) The still draw a rectangle But different colors or many points The rectangle stands for the whole dice The notion of 3D object with corners is translated as a 2D object with corners What is a picture? 72 Discussion • Why is black and white photography considered “more artistic” What is a picture? 73 Assignments • • • • Feedback Image Reading Piranesi What is a picture? 74 Reading • Do not forget Gombrich What is a picture? 75 Assignment • Piranesi tutorial – – – – Demo version on the class web page Non-photorealistic rendering Tutorial 1 to 3 Skip 2.4 What is a picture? 76 Talk • Vague decision next week What is a picture? 77 The End What is a picture? 78 Degree of realism • • • • • • Non-figurative Remote Realistic Recording Photojournalism (objective, “neutral”) Holography What is a picture? 79 Misc. • Different techniques for the same goal • Knots for 2D/3D, posters, trompe-l’œil What is a picture? 80