Add Intrigue to Virtual World Screenshots By Making Them Slightly Off-Kilter

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

As much as I dislike the fully horizontal pictures posted to take full advantage of blog white space, I am drawn to the slightly off-kilter pictures from Eloen. They brought to mind the phrase “cockeyed optimist” which reminded me of the song from South Pacific. These pictures are not cockeyed in order to maximize use of space or fit a group header, they are cockeyed to create visual interest, to draw our eyes, because that’s the way she wants to see them. Add the bright, rich colors and what better expression is there than “cockeyed optimist.” 

More clever use of angles coming up...

“Aux Natural” is the first picture that drew my eye and purely because it is cockeyed. There is just enough slant to make my scrolling finger pause and take a second look. Then of course I had to love it because the bridge is such a reminder of the many huge bridges over small creeks that make people who have never seen a spring thaw wonder what in the world were they thinking. There is a railroad trestle over Ruffy Brook in Minnesota that would make you think it’s a river as vast as the Columbia and yet it’s too shallow for swimming most of the time. But in the spring...

Eloen takes her a few bubbles off level perspective to more than landscapes and it is intriguing. This fairly conventional fashion pic is more intriguing by being just a tad off center. It’s not the irritating, neck-bending horizontal that forces you to turn your laptop on its side to see, but it’s more like the Baby Bear’s bed, chair, and porridge, just right. 

I enjoy Eloen’s photostream. Most of her pictures are linked to her blog, Eloen’s Other World. I appreciate her “cockeyed optimism.” 

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Comments

[Val Valha]

The Dutch angle, also known as Dutch tilt, canted angle, or oblique angle, is a type of camera shot which involves setting the camera at an angle on its roll axis so that the shot is composed with vertical lines at an angle to the side of the frame, or so that the horizon line of the shot is not parallel with the bottom of the camera frame. This produces a viewpoint akin to tilting one's head to the side. In cinematography, the Dutch angle is one of many cinematic techniques often used to portray psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_angle