I have a theory

[SwissJon]

Bear with me here.. I came up with an idea while I was on a long drive yesterday, and I want to see what you think of it.

Our eyes, in the english speaking world scan from left to right natually.

So my theory goes like this. If you have a photograph of an animal, if the animal is a preditor, then having it facing so it's mouth is facing to the left, makes the animal more threatening, because your eye goes into the animals mouth. If you have a photo of a running animal that's prey, then your photo will have more movement because your eye follows the direction of the animal.

It's just one of those random thoughts when you have a couple of hours on hour ow to think, I was just wondering what your thoghts were on that?

[OsmosisStudios]

Actually, for this kind of thing (carnivorous animals), its best to have them on the right side of the frame facing left. Our eyes go left to right and hit the animal and have to back up: its more of a shock.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Actually, for this kind of thing (carnivorous animals), its best to have them on the right side of the frame facing left. Our eyes go left to right and hit the animal and have to back up: its more of a shock.

That's what I meant. Mouth facing left, so as your eyes track accross the picture, the first thing you meet is the teeth, before you reach the rest of the animal.

I wonder if anyone has ever studied if, when looking at a big cat chasing its prey and you have both in the frame, the onlooker sides with the prey if the chase is going left to right (because the last thing your eye views is the prey) or with the hunter if the chase is going right to left..

It's just something that occurred to me, I'd been watching a wildlife program before I went out lastnight, and I wondered if this was something that film makers thought about, and if they did, if it was something we should think about?

[Bruce A]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

. . . and I wondered if this was something that film makers thought about, and if they did, if it was something we should think about?

Film makers might, but documentary makers would just get the shot which ever way it comes instead of trying to manouvre and risk losing the opportunity I would think.

Of course here in Australia we'd frame the opposite way because we have to use our cameras upside down. When are the damn manufacturers going to take that into consideration?

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by Bruce A

Film makers might, but documentary makers would just get the shot which ever way it comes instead of trying to manouvre and risk losing the opportunity I would think.

Yeah.. but there's nothing stopping them mirroring the film after the fact.. We do.

[Bruce A]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Yeah.. but there's nothing stopping them mirroring the film after the fact.. We do.

Too true Jon!

[RichardTaylor]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Yeah.. but there's nothing stopping them mirroring the film after the fact.. We do.

Do you mean they are not straight of the camera purists?

+ smile.

Merry Christmas.

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

Do you mean they are not straight of the camera purists?

+ smile.

Merry Christmas.

I think not..

BBC's little white lie: Polar bear cubs were filmed for Frozen Planet in a zoo, not the Arctic | Mail Online

Originally Posted by SwissJon

I'm not a purist, I'm just lazy..

[qadkins]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

That's what I meant. Mouth facing left, so as your eyes track accross the picture, the first thing you meet is the teeth, before you reach the rest of the animal.

I wonder if anyone has ever studied if, when looking at a big cat chasing its prey and you have both in the frame, the onlooker sides with the prey if the chase is going left to right (because the last thing your eye views is the prey) or with the hunter if the chase is going right to left..

It's just something that occurred to me, I'd been watching a wildlife program before I went out lastnight, and I wondered if this was something that film makers thought about, and if they did, if it was something we should think about?

Very interesting idea.

[JimWelch]

when looking at a big cat chasing its prey and you have both in the frame, the onlooker sides with the prey if the chase is going left to right