Windows for Smarties II...

[P3D <LeRoyDDD@xxxxxxx>]

     Heterodox window rule:

     Mount all subjects at their "natural" distance, leave the window where
the camera(or mask) places it...
     except empty space from the window back to a medium distant
          subject may be displeasing.
     except near objects may "break" the window and cause visual
          confusion/unease.
     handle the exceptions above by moving the window forward or
          back by adjusting the mask.

     Moving the window by adjusting the mask isn't too much of a problem in a
viewer, but if a projection location isn't truly dark, you can see the window
"float" off the screen or be "pushed back" into it.

     Heretical window musings...

     The top and bottom of the window have no inherent depth.
     From this follows...
     ...the concept of the diagonal window.

     Consider the beautiful landscape with a main subject on the left of the
image at about seven to eight feet but also with an object you want in the
composition at five or six feet.
     Instead of choosing to push the scene back to get the right object
behind a seven foot window or moving the window forward to put it in front of
the right object and, in both cases, losing the effect of the main subject on
the left right at the window, just move the right side of the window forward.
     This is less remarkable to the observer when the difference is small and
the aspect ratio wide.

     And also...
     ...carefully considered violations of the window.

     If the scene has unimportant, relatively featureless forground at the
bottom of the scene, it may be acceptable to have it come forward of the
window even if it touches the edge of the window. This will work if you get a
ramp or runway(as from a theater stage) effect.
     Examples would be low vantage point compositions with the lawn, floor,
water, sidewalk coming through the window with the subject at or near the
window.
     Top of window possibilities are foliage and archways which are not
clearly connected to objects at the side of the image.

     Obviously, heretical is a good description of the immediately above
described techniques.
     Whether or not they are useful to you depends on your attitude toward
them. I will consider them with the right image. Tyro observers may accept
them, with the right image, more readily than experienced 3-Ders who have
already learned the "right way" to use the window.

LeRoy Barco
LeRoyDDD@xxxxxxx


------------------------------