What is visual media?
Visual media are the ways we make and share pictures that are seen with the eyes. The word media means the means or the way. A painting on paper is a picture too, but when we say visual media in art class we usually mean photography, video and animation, and digital media made with a computer, phone or tablet.
They are different from drawing with a pencil because a machine helps. But the artist still decides everything important: what to show, where to stand, what colours and what feeling to give.
Photography: drawing with light
The word photography comes from old words that mean writing with light. A camera has a small opening, the lens. Light from the real thing goes in through the lens and is kept as a picture.
Framing and composition
Framing means choosing what is inside the photo and what is left out. A close-up shows detail, like a face or a flower. A wide shot shows the place around. Many photographers also use the rule of thirds: imagine the photo split into 3 by 3 boxes and put the main thing near a line, not always in the middle.
Light
Photography is all about light. Soft light (a cloudy day) is gentle. Strong sun makes sharp shadows. Exposure is how much light the camera collects. Too little makes a dark picture; too much makes a washed-out one. Light from the side shows texture; light from behind can make a dark shape against a bright sky, called a silhouette.
Video and animation: pictures that move
A video is a long line of photos called frames. They are shown one after another, very fast. Your eye and brain join them, so you see smooth movement. The number of frames shown in one second is the frame rate, written as fps (frames per second). Films often use 24 fps, and many phone videos use 30 or 60 fps. At 24 fps, one minute of film is 24 × 60 = 1440 frames.
Animation also uses frames, but the frames are drawn, built from clay or made on a computer by an artist, one by one. A flipbook is the simplest animation: draw a small change on each page and flip the pages with your thumb.
A video-maker plans the shots (close-up, wide shot), the order of shots and the sound. The story is told by choosing and joining shots, called editing.
Digital media: pictures made of pixels
A digital picture is a grid of tiny squares called pixels. Each pixel has one colour. When you stand back, the squares join and you see a smooth picture. A picture that is 1000 pixels wide and 800 tall has 1000 × 800 = 800,000 pixels. More pixels give more detail, but the file is bigger.
With digital tools an artist can paint on a tablet, edit a photo, cut a video, make an animation or design a poster. Mistakes can be undone and many versions can be tried. The artist should still keep the basics: good framing, light, colour and a clear idea. Always ask permission before using another person's photo, and never share a picture of someone who does not want it shared.
Try it: a three-photo story
Choose one small object at home, such as a cup or a plant. Take three photos: one wide, one medium and one close-up. Put them in order and you have a tiny story: where it is, what it is, what it looks like up close. Then try a second set in shade and in sunlight. Which one feels better? Why?
Key formulas and definitions
- Photo = one frame, a still picture of one moment
- Video = many frames shown fast (frames per second, fps)
- Number of frames = fps × seconds
- Pixels in a picture = width × height (in pixels)
- Framing: close-up (detail), medium shot, wide shot (place)
Worked examples
1. A film runs at 24 frames per second. How many frames are in 10 seconds?
Frames = fps × seconds = 24 × 10 = 240 frames.
2. A digital picture is 6 pixels wide and 4 pixels tall. How many pixels does it have?
Pixels = width × height = 6 × 4 = 24 pixels.
3. You want to show a girl's smile and also the whole market behind her. Which shots do you need?
A close-up shows the smile and a wide shot shows the market. Use both, or one medium shot that shows her and some of the market.
4. A photo of a friend standing in front of a window is very dark on the face. What can you change?
The light is behind her (a silhouette). Move so the light falls on her face, or ask her to turn towards the window, or use a lamp in front.
Common mistakes
- Thinking a photo is always the real truth. The photographer chose what to include and what to leave out.
- Always putting the subject in the exact centre. Try one third-line for a livelier picture.
- Shooting with the bright window or sun behind the subject, which makes the face dark.
- Mixing up the words: a photo is one still frame, a video is many frames, and pixels are the tiny squares inside one digital picture.