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Hal Moran: Questions when examining a photograph
General Questions when examining a photograph
by Hal Moran
1. Identify the image
Who was the photographer?
Is there a caption? Title? Anything written with the image?
Where did the image come from?
What is/are the subject(s) of the picture?
Who was the photographer?
Is there a caption? Title? Anything written with the image?
Where did the image come from?
What is/are the subject(s) of the picture?
2. Reason for the photograph
Why was it taken? Who for?
Is there a theme being represented? Specific event? What is it?
What is the photographer trying to convey to the viewer?
Why was it taken? Who for?
Is there a theme being represented? Specific event? What is it?
What is the photographer trying to convey to the viewer?
3. Components of the image
Examine all of the subjects, colors (if a color image), and sections of the image. Is there significance for these elements? What?
Is the photograph organized into parts? Does the background and foreground have different meanings?
Examine all of the subjects, colors (if a color image), and sections of the image. Is there significance for these elements? What?
Is the photograph organized into parts? Does the background and foreground have different meanings?
4. Effectiveness of the image
Is there a clear message?
Does the photograph tell a story? Pose new questions?
Is it useful in making inferences, deductions, or generalizations about the subjects?
Is there a clear message?
Does the photograph tell a story? Pose new questions?
Is it useful in making inferences, deductions, or generalizations about the subjects?
5. Items to look for when examining an image
Where is the location?
In a landscape image, what is the terrain like? Rural or urban? Mountainous or flat? Skyscrapers or farmland?
Who are the people portrayed? What are they doing? What do they look like? What is the relationship between the different people being portrayed?
Man made links subjects.
Architecture.
Where is the location?
In a landscape image, what is the terrain like? Rural or urban? Mountainous or flat? Skyscrapers or farmland?
Who are the people portrayed? What are they doing? What do they look like? What is the relationship between the different people being portrayed?
Man made links subjects.
Architecture.
6. Has the image been manipulated?
The computer has changed the way you need to look at photographs.
Does the image have the credit "photo illustration"? This is an indicated that it has been manipulated.
The computer has changed the way you need to look at photographs.
Does the image have the credit "photo illustration"? This is an indicated that it has been manipulated.
7. Different types of photographs to consider:
Landscapes
People and landscapes
Portraits of people
People in action
Objects
Landscapes
People and landscapes
Portraits of people
People in action
Objects