Q&A: wobbly loads

Jon Gael, England

Tom Fox replies

For poses to look off-balance, the weight has to be clearly drawn to one side or another. One way to check the balance of your figures is to draw a straight line through your pose, which shows the direction of the lean. The closer to horizontal this line is, the more unbalanced the figure appears. To help accentuate the lean in your characters, put limbs into awkward positions. Feet turning inwards and arms thrown out for balance help create the illusion of panic.

Wide-angle lenses show both a large character, and plenty of environment. They create an unnatural relationship between the sizes of objects, adding to the feeling of imbalance.

I broke the frame with birds, petals, and plant life springing up around my Spirit of Renewal’s feet to show her purpose in the charred landscape.