Tonal Separation
The idea of tonal separations is to use different colored inks for various tonal
ranges in a print. For example, using a light gray ink to print the light tones in a
print, or a dark ink for the shadows. Below is an example of an image split into
various separations. The separations are labeled ink, but that could represent
any material used to create tone in a photograph, such as silver, platinum, or a
pigment. The tones in the final combined images should all be the same
Beyond Basic Linearization
Usually, tonal separations are used for halftone prints to make the image smooth-
er. In the illustration below, the left image was made with tonal separations and
the image on the right is a normal CMYK print.
Below is an illustration of what tonal separations look like. The first row shows a
gradient made with a light ink that fills in the light tones of the print. The second
row is a dark ink that fills in the shadows. Finally, the third row shows the com-
posite of the two separations.
Color Separation
In the world of full-color printing, Color Separation refers to the process of isolating the individual colors that compose an artwork file so the file can be accurately reproduced on a printing press.
Before a full-color image can be printed on a commercial press, it must be color separated into four files: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
Flat Space
Flat lay photography is shooting a variety of items all laid out on a flat surface — from above.
It creates a bird’s eye view of a still life — and often one that has been carefully constructed to give a sense of balance.
This type of photography has become incredibly popular, particularly on social media, and you’ll find it used on everything from Instagram to corporate websites to personal blogs.
These photographs are like mood boards, creating a portrait of a person through their belongings, inspiring a vibe or an emotion about an activity, or building a brand around a product — all achieved through props that tie together.
Limited Space
Limited space is a combination of deep and flat space cues. You can imagine it as filming several frontal planes that have a physical and visual separation between them. Two characters may be extremely far apart physically, but in a shot, they appear very close to each other.
Limited space is unusual and quite challenging to achieve. As you see in the examples above, it creates a small enclosed area, which is often connected to the notion of intimacy, isolation, or even danger.
Ambiguous Space
It occurs when the viewer has no chance to understand the actual sizes and special relationships of objects in the frame. We try to find something to hold onto, but we can’t, as we’re completely disorientated.
These shots – and ambiguous space in general – create confusion, tension, and even anxiety. That’s why a lot of horror films use this technique to drive us crazy. At the same time, the application of ambiguous space might hook our interest, especially if something or someone enters the picture, and we suddenly recognize the spatial relationships
