Harbor Notebook
NOTE 05 / LOOKING CLOSELY

Five frames, one idea

A short sequence can reveal a way of seeing.

Original illustration for Five frames, one idea
An illustrated composition study.

Set a modest boundary

Choose a single idea for a five-image sequence: curves, interruptions, blue surfaces, or narrow pools of light. A clear limit makes it easier to notice connections between otherwise unrelated subjects.

Change the distance

Include a broad view, a middle distance, and a detail. This variation gives the sequence a rhythm without requiring a complicated story. Leave out a frame if it only repeats a stronger one.

Read it in another order

Arrange the images, then reverse the order. Pay attention to the transition between each pair. A sequence is made not only from individual pictures, but also from the gaps between them.