Camera & Composition

Welles also employed deep focus photography as a way to allow audiences to actively peruse a scene without implementing editing, for Welles a disruption of real space and time. The use of both detailed backgrounds and foregrounds also functioned to emphasize Kane's sense of isolation and distance from the activities of those around him.
Composition also was a critical part to storytelling in Citizen Kane. Characters were placed at opposite ends of the screen to convey distance and estrangement. Large objects are typically in the foreground and between characters at odds, while signs and fences seem to further emphasize the feeling of alienation Welles is exploring.
The large banner of Kane during the political campaign sequence displayed the character's importance in the story, while dwarfing the real man. This is similar to Susan when she seems engulfed by her surroundings within the Kane mansion.
Overall, Citizen Kane is a study in theatrical filmmaking. The many components of visual technique that accompany the mystery of Kane's demise serve to strengthen the overall themes of the film. Although modern audience may find Citizen Kane old-fashion or campy, by suspending disbelief, it is possible to see the impact and importance of visual symbolism in Citizen Kane.

They used a lot of shadowing. For instance, when Kane and Susan were arguing, Kane's shadow completely covered Susan. This implied emphatic dominance over Susan that ensured him being empowered. At the beginning of the movie, they also used fishbowl lens. The first scene in the movie where Kane was found dead, most of it was filmed with a fishbowl lens. It gave the introduction of the film a very unique look. I also noticed that they used mirrors in the scene where Kane was walking away from all his servants and guests that witnessed his anger outbreak after Susan left him to make the hallway he was standing at look like it was never ending. The storyline of the film was told in flashbacks. This is called a nonlinear story line, an approach many current filmmakers use, specifically Quinton Tarentino. I personally prefer a story told this way in a film. I feel that using this approach puts more emphasis on the plot and the main character. It enhances the storyline and is easier to follow the details that are important to some films