Just a Matter of Perspective

Zettl writes a chapter entitled “The Two-Dimensional Field: Forces Within the Screen,” in order to explain spatial fields in the digital media world.  Zettl describes the many different perspectives of how we see the world in movies, television, and on computers.

According to Zettl, “There are six major types of field forces: main directions, magnetism of the frame and attractions of mass, asymmetry of the frame, figure and ground, psychological closure, and vectors,” (123). 

These six field forces define what our eyes are immediately drawn to, and how artists orientate their photos or shots to be aesthetically pleasing to viewers.  By human nature, we are attracted to the arrangement of certain objects in a certain way.  For instance, in the article, Zettl displays an original photo, and it’s asymmetrically flipped duplicate.  We focus consistently on the object on the right side.  Businesses utilize this strategy in marketing products to customers.  In what other ways do businesses attempt to focus our attention on the product?               

One important type of field force is figure and ground.  There are five defining characteristics to determine the figure in contrast to the ground.   

  

·      The figure is thinglike. You perceive it as an object

·      The figure lies in front of the ground

·      The line that separates the figure from the ground belongs to the figure, not the ground.

·      The figure is less stable than the ground; the figure is more likely to move.

·      The ground seems to continue behind the figure. (113)

For example, the optical allusion below is a classic example of figure and ground.  Can you determine which is the figure and which is the ground? Is it possible for both images to fit both criteria?

Composition Matters...Or Does it?

Chapter six from Reading Images, written by Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen, discusses “The Meaning of Composition” in images, advertisements, television shows, and other mediums.  Kress and van Leeuween make several convincing arguments regarding the composition of images that we see on a daily basis.  I had never heard of the “rules” they advocate, and after researching a bit I found it difficult to accept their theory.

Kress and van Leeuween argue “a theory of language is no longer sufficient and must be complemented by theories which can make the principles of the new visual literacy explicit” (Kress).  They address their theories with three directives of composition.  According to the authors, “Composition…relates the representational and interactive meanings of the image to each other through three interrelated systems” (Kress):

1.  Information Value: The location of images associate them with their informational value
2. Salience: The images must draw the attention of viewers and prove their relevance
3. Framing: Including or omitting framing devices shows importance to other items nearby

In some mediums with a divide down the middle of the image, the left side of the image is the “given” and the right side is the “new.”  For instance, in this Taylor Swift feature in Seventeen Magazine, the singer is placed on the left side of the page as a familiar face, while the article and new information on the music star are on the right.

However, there are plenty of popular images that do not fit within the constraints of the authors’ rules.  Oprah, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, anchors on CNN, magazine spreads in Vogue, and the like do not follow this theory.  In fact, I had a more difficult time finding images that did fit into the criteria than those that did not.  Do you think the authors’ theory is followed or merely a suggestion of how images should be compiled?  Are images that do not fit within the constraints of the theory as aesthetically pleasing to you as images that do? See below examples that defy the theory set out by Kress and van Leeuwen.

 

Vogue Magazine spread

Nike advertisement

I Blog, Therefore I Am

Headlines and Hypertext

Brian Carroll’s chapter on “Headlines and Hypertext” dedicates over thirty pages to the effective use of both these digital tools.  Specific instructions are included on how to craft an attention-grabbing headline and how to best hyperlink an article entry.  To explain what kind of information a Web writer should link, Carroll makes these suggestions:

·      Primary sources

·      Public records

·      Interview notes and excerpts

·      Related or archival stories and information

·      Definitions of terms and brief explanations

·      Multimedia

These suggestions were extremely helpful to me, as I have never been aware that there were specific “rules” for hyperlinking beyond my common sense.  From the reading, I discovered hyperlinks should be obvious and instantly recognizable.  This can be done with underlining or a different color text, so long as it is consistent throughout the post and clear to the reader.  Jeff Jarvis, a journalism professor quoted in the text, makes an excellent commandment regarding linking: “Link unto others’ good stuff as you would have them link unto your good stuff.”  Media experts have found that linking text to other related sources, even competition, emphasizes legitimacy and ultimately brings the return of readers to the original source in the future. 

Similarly, epic headlines demand their own set of rules.  Carroll suggests that well-written headlines:

·      Attract the reader’s attention

·      Summarize content

·      Help reader index that content

·      Depict mood and tone

·      Help set the tone

·      Provide typographic relief

The prevalent actor
starred in The Dark Knight
just before his death.

Additionally, headlines also help readers decide what is worth reading, and what is not.  For this purpose, it is beneficial to keep a headline simple and its keywords searchable.  For example, when an Australian newspaper wrote the headline: “Heath Ledger Dies,” some were skeptical that the title was too boring or not creative enough.  Another newspaper chose “Dead in Bed” as their headline for the actor’s death.  Although the latter headline was catchy and memorable, when readers searched for the news, the article that included Heath Ledger’s name received several more hits on Google.  The simplicity and inclusion of important facts in a headline can make all the difference in news!

Blogito, Ergo Sum

A later chapter entitled, “Blogito, Ergo Sum” essentially answers the question: What is a blog?  Carroll describes it as a “value-neutral medium or media format for publishing online.”  In that same vein, I consider blogging to be one of the most open and flexible mediums.  The saying, “The world is your oyster” can be similarly applied to the Internet and blogging.  The Internet is your oyster, and blogging is your means for arriving at your desired destination.  The benefits of blogging are limitless. Blogging enables reporters, eyewitnesses, and community members to comment on issues that matter to their lives.  However, where is the line drawn between blogging and journalism?  How does a high-quality newspaper article differ from a first-rate blog post?      

Case Study of Effective Digital Design

CNN.com Case Study

What is your first impression of the site? Think of the “3 second rule.” (pg 31)

·      Catchy, red headlines (aesthetically pleasing)

·      Breaking news at top of the site

·      Concise, to the point

How does this site establish credibility? How does it establish trust? Or does it? (pg 28-29)

·      As CNN, we acknowledge its credibility by its reputation

·      Links to other site on other web pages regarding similar topics

·      It establishes trust by its reputation.

o   However, trust may be dependent upon political ideology of the reader

o   For example, a conservative may be more apt to trust Fox News, while a liberal would be skeptical of their “Fair and Balanced” news

Authentic voice?

·      Live TV playing

·      Updates in real time with the latest news

·      Plain English; concise writing

Genuine?

·      Factual news source

Transparency?

·      Many different choices for readers (U.S., World, Politics, Travel, etc.)

·      Fulfills expectations that a reader may have

·      Easy access to articles; easy to gather info

What is the general writing style?

Biased? Objective?

·      While CNN certainly tries to make it as objective as possible, readers may argue that it is more liberal leaning than other publications.  Comparing the CNN site to Fox News’ site, CNN placed Obama on the front page, while Fox News identifies Syria as its main headline.

Does the writer IDENTIFY with his or her readers, or not? How (or why not)?

·      In a breaking news story regarding Syria, President Obama utilizes a similar situation of Iraq and Afghanistan by stating: “This is not Iraq, and this is not Afghanistan.”  CNN is wise to make this comparison to assuage its readers’ fears that more American soldiers will be put onto foreign territory.   

Does the writing style get to the point?

·      Bullets points on main pages and story highlights

·      Articles are broken into sections with sub-headings to enable for easy reading

·      Place the most important information in the first paragraph, if not the first sentence

How is it arranged? Is it arranged in reverse pyramid style?

·      Arranged in reverse pyramid style, with most important information at the top of the page or article

Is content shaped for scanning? How is the content layered? (p 32)

·      Yes, it is shaped for scanning with its paragraph breakdown and bullet points

·      Utilizes bullet points, headings and sub-headings to create layered content

Is the tone or rhythm of the site consistent throughout?

·      Yes, the tone is consistently professional, factual, and concise

How does the site use headlines?

·      Uses quotations as majority of headlines

·      Headlines and sub-headlines within all articles

·      Catchy facts

·      Picture captions for Entertainment section

How does it use links? Effectively or not?

·      Links to related stories within articles

·      Links to videos

·      Links to other web pages (increasing credibility)

·      Effective in its use

How is multimedia used? Is it distracting? How is it displayed on the site? Does the multimedia tell the same story as the text, or a different side of the story?

·      Photos are provided at top of each story, however captions on long photo slideshows make it tempting to simply read captions for main story points

·      The multimedia tells the same story as the text, just using photos instead

How does the site “package” stories? (pg 36)

·      The site packages stories effectively with use of multimedia as well as text.  Many other photos and links are accessible within the article.

How are graphics used?

Too cluttered?

Are the graphics consistent through out the site, and consistent to the brand?

Do they encourage or discourage use, and how?

·      The graphics are simply, non-distracing.

·      Minimal design enables easy navigation

·      Consistency throughout entire site, such as the color red

·      They encourage use because people would have a positive experience on the site and return for more news

Can each page stand on its own?

·      Yes, each page maintains a search bar and tabs back to the home page or to other stories

·      Breaking news bar on every page

How is the navigation? Do you get lost? Do you always know where you are? How (or why not)?

·      Difficult to get lost, easy to find what you want

·      Clicking a tabs shows the title of that section on next page

·      For example, clicking on Justice shows CNN Justice on the following page

How does the site incorporate/interact with its audience? How does it embody the social aspect of the Internet (or does it)?

·      Readers have the opportunity to comment on stories at the bottom of the page 

·      It embodies the social aspect of the Internet because it encourages public discourse and allows for a conversation on a topic

·      Readers can link a story to their personal blog or Twitter account. 

·      iReport allows readers to contribute information to CNN.