I was pleased with the reaction to the first episode of my film regarding sequencing. This is, after all, how photography is done: shoot, edit, sequence, and deliver in whatever fashion you choose. However, these days, it is easy to get distracted by a myriad of things that keep us from following this most basic procedure. I wanted to expand on the idea of editorial policy and how it can impact things like editing and sequence. I no longer do assignments, so my edits and sequence are influenced only by me. Cutting a shoot from ten to five, to three, and to the single best image is something I’ve been doing since 1988. Several people have mentioned their struggles with this technique. All I can say is, doing so is critical to making the most of your work.
Creative: Sequencing v2
Comments 8
Hi Dan,
thank you that was actually very helpful and motivating. Hope your neck is improving. … I like things that last too, mostly because I hate shopping new stuff so much.
all the best
frank
Author
Neck is slowly getting better but far from right. Not sure it will be. Surgery might be my future. But, running, riding, etc. All good.
That final sequence is such a Smogranch edit. Vey nice.
Author
Tight, tight, tight.
So much to think about with sequencing. Editing for visual effect vs. editing to connect the storyline. And then finding the right places for the written portions. Lots of fun! I am enjoying these videos.
Author
These videos are so easy and something I never thought about posting. I’ve been doing this same exercise since 1988. I thought everyone was doing the same!
I’ve seen a number of your videos on sequencing before, but it wasn’t until these two that one major aspect really stood out to me and something I’d never seriously considered: how the left/right positioning of images can impact the overall flow of the spread. It was fascinating to hear you explain how elements like the subject’s direction, leading lines, shadows, and even which way the subject is “facing” all play into how an image interacts with the layout. That kind of spatial awareness is completely new to me and genuinely eye-opening.
The photo of the person lying across the wheel arch, alongside the other figure, the horse, and the directional lines was such a great example of this. So many elements working together in quiet but deliberate ways. Another great one is the cowboy’s belt buckle and how much more depth the image gains by including his hands, adding a dynamic quality that would otherwise be lost if it were cropped tighter. That version might work as a standalone but as you say it wouldn’t serve the sequence nearly as well.
Thanks again for the brilliant tutorial. It is seriously helpful, and delivered in a way that makes all these finer points actually stick.
Author
Well said Art, and thank you. I’ve been doing this for years, so I’m a bit practiced. And that’s what it takes. Practice. The directional impact of an image truly comes into play when you get to make books and magazines.