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Sequencing portraits by the direction of a gaze

Arrange three portraits by the direction the person looks, then compare another order to discover which reading you enjoy.

The seated subject looks toward the upper right of the picture, with a hand gathering hair near the shoulder. Yellow flowers and pale clothing connect this portrait to the next two.
The seated subject looks toward the upper right of the picture, with a hand gathering hair near the shoulder. Yellow flowers and pale clothing connect this portrait to the next two.
Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:13 18:01:50

Yenra Photography ·

The direction someone looks can become a useful connection between portraits. One photograph may look toward the side of its frame, another may meet the camera, and a third may open toward a different area. Arranging them gives you a small editing experiment, with more than one satisfying answer.

This new editorial arrangement uses three Anime USA 2013 portraits. Its reading order is different from capture order: the photographs are presented from the latest recorded moment to the earliest. The original capture records and gallery sequence remain unchanged. Here, picture-left and picture-right mean the sides of the image as you see it.

Begin with a gaze toward picture-right

The opening portrait shows the seated subject looking toward the upper right of the picture, with a hand gathering hair near the shoulder. Pale clothing and yellow flowers provide recognizable features that continue through the following photographs.

As the first picture, this sideward gaze offers one possible way into the sequence. Notice where you look next, but leave room for another viewer to respond differently. The image does not establish what lies beyond the frame or what the person was thinking.

Choose an opening portrait for its visible relationships rather than an imagined story. A gaze direction, the space around a face and a familiar background can give you enough material for a useful comparison.

Meet the camera in the middle

The face and eyes turn toward the camera. Between two sideward gazes, this photograph offers a different kind of encounter with the viewer.
The face and eyes turn toward the camera. Between two sideward gazes, this photograph offers a different kind of encounter with the viewer.
Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:13 18:01:33

The middle portrait turns the face and eyes toward the camera. Between two sideward gazes, it creates a different encounter with the viewer. The clothing, flowers and seated setting continue to connect the three frames.

Compare this position in the sequence with placing the same photograph first. Meeting the camera at the beginning may feel different to you from encountering that gaze after a sideward look. Treat your response as an observation to explore, not a rule that everyone must share.

When editing your own portraits, move one photograph at a time and look at the whole small sequence again. A simple note such as “I paused longer at the middle portrait” can be more useful than trying to declare a universal best order.

Finish with a gaze toward picture-left

The wider horizontal portrait places the subject on the right, looking into the garden space on the left. The different orientation and available space give the ending another shape.
The wider horizontal portrait places the subject on the right, looking into the garden space on the left. The different orientation and available space give the ending another shape.
Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:13 18:01:00

The final photograph changes to a horizontal frame. The subject sits on the right and looks toward garden space on the left. Flowers and the pale gown remain familiar, while the wider shape of the picture adds something new to this arrangement.

This ending combines a change of gaze with a change of orientation. Keep both in mind when comparing your response: the available space and wider framing also contribute. There is no need to mirror the photograph or crop it to match the others.

Try the reverse order, or begin with the camera-facing portrait. Keep each whole frame, compare what the first picture introduces and what the last leaves you noticing, then save an arrangement you enjoy. The archive links retain the original neighbors and exact capture times alongside your new reading order.

Three directions, one possible order

  1. Look toward picture-right: begin with a sideward gaze.
  2. Meet the camera: try a different encounter in the middle.
  3. Look toward picture-left: finish with a wider garden view.

This is an editorial arrangement. Compare another order and keep the one you enjoy.

Look back with curiosity.

  • What changes when the gaze meets the camera?
  • What does the horizontal final photograph add?
  • Which order do you enjoy, and why?

Keep exploring

Exploring gaze in a portrait · Trying two orders for a photo sequence · Following a gesture across photographs

Browse the complete Anime USA 2013 gallery. Return to a photograph that interests you, follow its original neighbors, and see what else you notice. Your next useful experiment can begin with a small detail that catches your attention.