Understanding Photography, Lines, and Typography
Originally published in the April 2022 Liahona Magazine, page 26, By Megan Thomson Ramsey, Church Magazines.
Introduction
In the April 2022 Liahona, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an article was submitted by Sister Megan Thomson Ramsey, to Church Magazines. The article used an image of a young woman staring out into the horizon near sunset, where a range of foothills were softened by clouds or other filtering techniques. The foothills appeared less focused, compared to the subject. The photographer used depth of field to accomplish this visual treat. with that, the top of the peaks of the hills appear to barely scrape the bottom line of the “rule of thirds,” giving vastness to the sky above where the youth seems to be thoughtfully staring into. The typesets for the quote and text body are sans serif, while a short, two word response to a quote uses a serif font with decorative serifs.
Category Identification
The article uses two real distinguishing type faces, with different sizes for the primary font. The primary font is a sans serif type face. It is more thin, narrow, and normal. The second is a decorative serif type face, as noted with the tails on the letters, almost like a pen was artistically used to fashion bulging approach and lift. As a contrasting element in the title, this serif font contrasts with the thought introduced, bringing a soft and relaxed response to an almost-interrogative statement. Justifying the quote, to the left, the reason it is “ok” to know know the meaning of all things is Faith in the same type face as the beginning of the statement, bringing an understanding that “it is supposed to be this way.” The initial letter of the article extends the element of the sans serif into the opening thoughts.
Type Face Contrast
These fonts contrast in size, weight, kerning, and normality. The bulk of the sans serif text is a normalized font, while the serif (only two words) is italicized and larger by more than double the size of the rest of the title. Subtle- but meaningful, along with the message.
Photograph
The young woman appears to look into the distance, beyond the foothills are high, trying to understand the world around her. This line from her eyes justifies the top 1/3 of the image, while the foot hills summits boarder the bottom 1/3 of the image. The clarity of her position on the left is forward in the image, while the foot hills are hazy and less in-focus, and a distinguishing line on the left 1/3 of the image justifies a density of color compared to the washed right side of the article. This aids in a soothing backdrop for the text that also finds itself in the center of the top and bottom 1/3 of the image, while the title executes dominance in the article in the top 1/3. Quiet nature exists in the bottom 1/3. This is also depth of field, as the the young woman is in focus, while the backdrop is not.
Her gaze draws you in to see where she is looking, but we also with faith, as the article inclines, just know she is looking into the sunset with the shadow against her face and front, while she is captured side-on.
Fun substitute images
From my own camera.
How these contribute
Each photo is an object of meaning posed from the left, cast into thirds and attempted lighting for Sunset. The objects of each image seems to be looking into the distance from left to right, standing on something meaningful and with some level of curiosity. Each might be searching for meaning, questioning what they are doing, or searching for an answer. With depth of field, the background looses focus to the foreground subject.
Summary
The impact of the original article is impactful and draws interest into the body of the text, as the young woman searches for meaning or understanding. The contrasting typefaces are enough to recognize which parts of the title are part of life, not perfect, and “That’s okay.” The photography and lines focuses our attention and draws us into the message, while also symbolizing the curiosity of the young woman in the image.