Audio Visual is a unique combination of both still and moving photography with sound,
blended together to produce a result known as an ‘AV Sequence’ which is limited only
by the imagination and skill of the producer.
It doesn’t matter what equipment you
use - mobile phone, compact, or expensive camera.
Audio-Visual techniques can be employed to make:
- pictures-to-music productions
- instructional or educational type presentations,
- more elaborate sequences which tell a story of some sort - using the word ‘story’ in the widest possible sense.
Obviously pictures and sound are the raw ingredients, but it's what you do with them
that matters.
It is the complete sequence that counts, not the individual components.
An effective sequence will have unity of concept, visuals and sound. These should
reinforce and support each other to create a satisfactory whole.
Photography for AV requires a slightly different approach to that of single image
photography.
To keep interest a variety of distant, medium and close up shots is often required to inject some dynamics into the sequence.
When you get more proficient, you may start thinking about what pictures will come
before and after the one you are taking, and compose your images so that pictures
‘melt’ into each other, rather than merely just ‘changing.’
The ideal composition
of a picture intended to be part of the flow of a sequence may differ somewhat from
the ideal composition of a similar picture intended to be viewed on its own.
Digital imaging allows seemingly simple pictures to be composed of elements taken from several original pictures. This enables even greater scope for a pleasing visual progression. Parts of a picture can now be changed rather than changing the whole picture, thus further enhancing the sense of visual ‘flow’.
Similarly, the soundtrack and how it relates to the pictures should be borne in mind - even if it's just one piece of music. Pictures and sound should fuse together into a single entity and so must be considered together right from the outset. These points are all part of an ‘AV mindset’.
The final technique is production - the process of bringing together all of the individual component parts to make a sequence which is truly greater than the sum of those parts.
Audio Visual sequences are not just about pictures and sound - it can become a whole
new way of looking at and communicating about the world around us. That is what
makes AV so fascinating.
So many avenues to explore and so many skills to practice.
So many interesting places
to obtain pictures or sounds - places that you may not otherwise have considered
visiting.
Places that you now experience through different eyes and ears, because
you are looking for different pictures and becoming aware of the sound around you.
Once you start out on the ‘AV journey’ you can quickly and easily become hooked - we certainly hope so!
Visitors and prospective members are always welcome
About Audio Visual