How to Read a Picture

Critical viewing skills: Just as writers have particular perspectives and techniques to get their messages across, artists also convey ideas through imag es. Yo u may have heard the expression "a picture is worth a thousand words". Images can convey a message more powerfully than words can. However, artists also use many techniques to get their message across. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but you need to know how to analyze the picture to gain any understanding of it at all.

Images are Constructed: Always keep in mind that an image is constructed. Even before photos could be digitally altered, photographers selected time, place, camera angle, focal point, and many other features to create images in particular ways. Photographs are constructed like paintings, sculptures, and other media.

Images have meaning: Images are created for reasons, and artists have messages they want to convey. They use many techniques to get their message across. Each image has clues to assist you to determine the artist's message.

When you look at an image, consider some questions:

• What dominates this image?
  
• Who are the people in this picture?
  
• What feelings are conveyed by the subject?
  
• Where did this occur?
• When did it occur?
  

Then, look deeper:

• I can see how the title relates to the piece.
  
  
• The artist's message is clear.
  
  
• By looking for evidence, I can determine...
  
• What dominates the image
• Who the people are in the image
• What feelings are conveyed by the subject
• Where this event took place
• When this event took place
  
  
• I can see how color, lighting, size, shape, line, texture, angle and balance contribute to the artist's message.
  
  
• I can determine the artist's attitude, or feelings, about the subject
  
  
• I can determine the symbolic message of this work.
  

Consider this image Analyze it according to the questions above.