ABSTRACT
Camera placement and focal length are two of the most critical elements to consider for a well-composed shot. They are especially important in “emblematic” shots, where the arrangement of visual elements is meant to convey a more associative meaning rather than a literal one, because they allow precise adjustments to the size, placement, and relative proximity of everything contained in a frame. Conceptualizing the visual relationships that will suggest an intended idea, however, can be challenging, because the resulting image should be easy to grasp in terms of both its literal and figurative connotations. The telephoto’s narrower field of view also eliminates ancillary visual information, leaving the tension and focus strictly between the two men: Malcolm and Elijah. The composition effectively visualizes not just Elijah’s tremendous influence on Malcolm, but also his larger than life persona, an attribute that would eventually create an ideological rift between them, leading to Malcolm’s break from the Nation of Islam.
