ANALYZING IMAGES

Can A Picture Tell A Thousand Words?

Images are part of the way we communicate and, through the Language and
Literature course, it would be impossible to talk about how language operates
in the world without considering the operations and impact of images. Many
of the texts we encounter include images and some texts, such as road signs
or paintings in an art gallery, might be made of images alone. Images are an
integral part of most advertisement texts. This section will give you the
opportunity to understand images better by learning how to analyze various
components of visual images such as layout, use of lines, shapes and forms, light
and colour and so on:
The Rhetorical Situation
The first step in rhetorical analysis is to assess the rhetorical situation. The
rhetorical situation is made of the following:
1. Audience. To understand or evaluate a visual, you’ll need to know the
intended audience. For instance, the audience for a scholarly article might
be the readers of an academic journal. But there might also be another
layer to the audience; for example, a technical graph may be viewed by
both managers and engineers, albeit for different purposes.
2. Purpose. The creator of the visual image usually has an agenda. The visual
may be used to support an argument in a written document or speech, or it
may stand alone, such as in the example of a political commentary or
critique. The most common rhetorical purposes are to persuade, to express,
to explain, to entertain, to illustrate, and to argue.
3. Creator/Author. Who created the image you are analyzing? Knowing the
creator’s background and credentials can help you understand the purpose
of the visual, as well as whether or not the creator is credible and
professional.
4. Medium. The medium is the means or way of communicating employed.
Is the communication being made through aural, visual, or linguistic
channels? Very often, the communication employs more than one of these
media. Media might include, for example, a photograph or a video of a
written page, but any of them might also be combined into one
communication.
5. Genre. The type of visual image, its genre, can vary depending on the
medium. For example, a photograph could be in the category of landscape,
action shot, or portrait. Each genre elicits particular expectations
Elements for Analysis
When you analyze a visual image, you examine it from different
angles and decide how each element functions to reach an audience
for a particular purpose. Some of the elements you might consider in
your analysis are the following: organization and placement; style;
content; and source.
As you look at each element, judge it in light of the rhetorical
situation. What do you think the image’s creator was trying to
accomplish? Is there a central message? Does the image support a
thesis developed in any accompanying text? These elements don’t
cover all possibilities, though, so don’t forget to research the genre of
the visual image you are analyzing.
Organization and Placement
Organization refers to how the image is composed, and
placement refers to how it relates to other elements within a
text (such as a page or slide).
The composition of an image can be understood as how
things are arranged within its borders, that is, its frame.
A few things to consider when analyzing composition are:
-Focal point. The viewer will be drawn toward a focal point
by lines, shadows, and the way objects are arranged.
What is the image’s focal point?
-Background. Does the background compete with, complement, or highlight the
foreground?
-Balance and symmetry. Is there harmony between the elements of the image,
or do they clash?
What is the effect? An asymmetrical image may make one element of an image
stand out, for example.
-Perspective. Does the image suggest a point of view, and, if so, is there any
significance to this?
An image of a car, for example, might be taken so that the road is more
prominent, suggesting motion, or so that the car seems static, putting focus on
its
features.
Proximity describes the relationship of an image to
other elements on a page. Images that are grouped
together or placed near each other will be seen as a
unit. A good designer does not simply fill up a page
with images (or images and text) but considers how to
group items and how to use empty space, also known
as “white space.”
Does the image draw your eye to a particular
grouping? (Proximity works with words as well as
images: if you are listing items, for example, it is
easier to read a list grouped in categories
delineated with headings than to read a long list
with no groupings.)
Examine the image’s context for clues about its meaning. The

context of an image typically refers to the physical place or publication

in which you came across the specific image. Try asking yourself: who

can see this image, and where will they see it? Think about other

images that appear near the primary image (whether it's in an art

gallery or a magazine) and the ways they add meaning to the image's

context.
· For example, you’re likely to come across many images used

for advertisements in magazines and websites. The specific

magazine or site will determine the image’s context. If you visit a

site like teenvogue.com, you’re most likely to come across images

that appeal to young people.

· You’ll typically come across artistic images in a completely

different context, like an art gallery or art publication.

Look for visual keys in an image to figure out its intended

audience. Nearly all images have an audience: a group of people that

the image’s creator intended for the image to be seen by. Ask questions

about the image that can help you figure out the audience. For

example, what kinds of people appear in the image: men, women,

children? Or, if there are no people, look at the image’s subject matter

to assess the audience.

· For example, an advertisement image of a man running with

a hiking shoe superimposed over the photo is likely intended to

be seen by male hikers.

· Or, a large photograph of a landscape hanging in an art

gallery is probably intended to be viewed by art enthusiasts of

diverse ages and genders.

Take note of the image’s emotional effect to understand its
purpose. The way an image makes you feel can give you clues
about its purpose. Advertisements are an easy example, since
their purpose is pretty straightforward. The purpose of an
image on an advertisement is to engage your interest and
create a desire for the product. Each kind of image has its own
purpose, and some images have many purposes.
· In a landscape painting, the purpose may be to cause you

to calmly reflect on the beauty of nature.

· But, in a violent photograph taken during wartime, the

purposes may be both to remind you of the depravity of war

and to make you respect the sacrifices that soldiers often make.
Analyzing an Image’s Tone and Organization
1.
Note your gut-level response to an image to understand its tone. The
tone of an image has to do with the way it makes you feel. Ask yourself: is
the image happy and uplifting, dark and scary, or mysterious and shady?
Tone is a complex thing, and has to do with the subject matter of an image,
lighting used, and the visibility of the background. Tonal differences can
account for 1 picture of a clown being silly and fun, while another image
of a clown is creepy and evil.
· For example, a candid photograph of a bounce house at a

child’s birthday party would be tonally light, fun, and silly.

· On the other hand, a painting of a homeless person sleeping on

the steps of a library in winter would be tonally sad, and may even

have a dark or depressing tone.

Think about how color is being used in the image. Some images are in color

while others are black and white. Regardless of the amount of color in an image,

color can provide visual interest and emotion.[1] It can also draw your eye

towards or away from certain parts of an image that its creator may want you to

pay more or less attention to. Muted, pastel colors can make an image seem

calm or nostalgic, while sharp, electric colors can give an image energy and

pizzazz( a combination of attractiveness and glamour).

2.
· For example, say you see an advertisement for a dress in which

everything is rendered in shades of gray except for the dress, which

is dazzlingly red. The image probably wants to draw your eye to the

dress, and to make it seem important, bold, and sexy.

Examine the size and placement of text on the image. Many

images—especially mixed-media artwork and advertisements—have text

on them. Text can give you a lot of information about an image. Look at

its size, typeface, and orientation for clues about what meaning the text

adds to the image. Is the text simply providing information? Or is it

meant to be funny, sarcastic, or part of a collaged artwork?

· For example, say that a whiskey advertisement has large,

crisp wording that says, “Good to the last drop.” That tells you

the image is promotional, and portrays a product being sold.

· On the other hand, a drawing of a political leader with a

phrase like “the blind leading the blind” scrawled across their

face is likely intended as political satire.

See if the image’s foreground and background work together. In many

images, the foreground and background seem to complement one another, and

contain naturally associated items. In other images, though, the background of

a photo may contrast with what’s in the foreground. This can give you insight

into the image-creator’s understanding of the image’s subject.

· The foreground of an image contains whatever’s closest to the observer, and

the background contains scenery and objects farther away.

· For example, say someone took a photo of a political leader. If there were flags

or saluting soldiers in the background, it’d be clear that the leader deserves respect

and praise.

· If, however, there were rows of gravestones or coffins in the background, it

would seem that the image is criticizing or making fun of the politician.
Let your eyes move from left to right to analyze an image’s
layout. The location of different people, lettering, or other
visual components can tell you a lot about what the image is
doing. Since people in the Western world are used to reading
from left to right (and top to bottom), our eyes naturally first
see whatever is on the left side of a painting. Things in the
bottom-right corner are typically less important.
· Say you’re looking at a photo of an impressive mountain. The

photographer may situate the peak in the top-left corner of the image

to highlight its importance.

· On the other hand, the photographer may locate the peak on the

far right side of the image, to emphasize the clouds, birds, or other

elements on the left side of the painting.

Reading into Content, Style, and Source
Look at the way light is used in a photograph or painting. Light is important in any

image that’s meant to convey a real-life setting. Light can have a strong effect on the

tone of an image, and the way an image-maker plays with light and darkness can

conceal or reveal different parts of an image.[3] Different lighting could even make the

same image mysterious and creepy when poorly lit and warm and welcoming when

brightly lit.
· For example, an image of a cathedral in the warm light of

evening may evoke a feeling of calm contemplation.

· Alternately, a high-contrast image of a brightly-lit rock

concert will convey energy, volume, and a little rebellion.

Check out the point of view that you look into the image from. If you’r

photograph, the camera’s angle is important to analyze, especially if the im

from an abnormal angle. The same goes for paintings and drawings. The p

point of view can give you a great deal of insight into how the image’s ma

present the subject of the image.[5]

· For example, say you’re looking at a painting of a

policeman. If the perspective is from the ground looking up, the

officer will appear powerful,

· But, if you were to see a painting of an officer with a

perspective point of view 10 feet (3.0 m) in the air, the cop would

appear small, weak, and unimpressive.

Examine the subject’s position within the image to gain insight about

it. Most images have 1 or more subjects: it’s the persons, objects, or things

that the image seems most focused on presenting. Pay attention to the way

that a subject is positioned within the image. If the subject is a person,

different ways they’re positioned within the image could make them seem

serious, sexy, threatening, weak, lazy, or energetic.

· For example, an illustration of a husband and wife centered in

the frame but looking in opposite directions could indicate marital

problems.

· You can also tell a lot from checking out the subject’s clothing,

posture, and facial expression.

Analyze the style of the image to understand its creator’s intentions. Style

is a tough concept to define, but it more or less refers to any unique twists that

image-makers put on their images for a rhetorical effect. When you look at an

image, ask what artistic choices the creator made to give the image a unique

visual spin. Then ask yourself what the stylized image conveys that a

non-stylized image couldn’t.

· For example, say you’re looking at an ad for a sports car and see that the

road, background, and driver’s features have been smudged out. This stylistic

choice was most likely made to draw your attention only to the car being

advertised.
Figure out where the image was created to understand its source. This can mean

researching the name and background of a famous photograph or filmmaker or

scouring image databases to find where an image is housed. In many cases, the

image’s source can give you information about the image and the reasons for its

creating. Understanding the source can also let you know if an image is reliable and

what tone it’s meant to have.[8]

· Say you find a Victorian-era photo of a ghost. Understanding the image’s

source and the ways in which “ghost” photos were created by Victorians will

help you understand that the photo isn’t of a real ghost and may have been

intended as a prank.
· Or, say you’re looking at a film still image of an oil spill. Knowing that the

image was made by environmentalist filmmaker will give you some insight into

what mood the image is intended to convey.

Style
You can think about style from the perspective of either the viewer or the creator. From the viewer’s perspective, you might ask what
emotions or thoughts the image evokes. Does it appeal more to a sense of logic or to emotions? Or does it use the authority of its creator to
create trust in its veracity or agreement with its argument? In thinking about style from the perspective of the image’s creator, you might ask
what attitude the image projects. For example, it is humorous, ironic, sarcastic, or serious? Political cartoons often use exaggeration,
caricature, and irony for humorous effect, but also to make a serious point.

Color and typography (the type of font) may contribute to the image’s style or tone. Consider, for example, how fonts can have different
effects, some seeming more serious and others more playful. Similarly, color can convey moods: highlighter yellow gives a much different
impression than light blue.
Content
What message, if any, does the image convey? For example, a graph or chart may
provide data. An illustration may show the steps of a process. A political cartoon may
satirize a policy or a politician. A photograph may suggest a product is worth buying.
Words and numbers can convey a message when used with an image: a caption, for
example, may express the image’s message. Symbols can also convey meaning; for
example, a political cartoon may use an American flag to signify patriotism or a donkey to
signify the Democratic Party. Colors can also be used as symbols; for example, red, white
and blue may symbolize the United States.
Source
The source of the visual image—i.e., where it was reproduced—should be considered in
an analysis, in terms of whether it was biased or neutral, scholarly or promotional. For
example, a graph about the effectiveness of a drug should be scrutinized with care if it
comes from the stock market report of a pharmaceutical company.