Analyzing Documentary and News Photographs

By Malvika Madan and Amanda Wakeman

The Purpose of Analyzing Images: Documentary and News Photographs

• To shape the way we think and feel about an event.

• They help us to view different positions. • They show the severity of an event• They show the magnitude and horror of the

moment by moment action

How to Analyze a Documentary Photograph: Rhetorical Context

• Ask questions about the photographer’s purpose and context in making the photograph.

• Ask questions about the original context.• Ex: Where was the picture originally viewed? • Ask questions about the cultural context for

interpreting the photograph.

What to examine:

Distance from Subject

• Close-ups increase the intensity of the subject and suggest importance.

Angle and Orientation

Vantage point from which the picture was taken determines the effects of the images.

Framing

• Determines what is inside the image and what is closed off to viewers.

Light

• Creates shadows and affects contrast.

Focus

• What is in the foreground vs. what is blurry

Size/ Scale

• Affect the emphasis on thing in the image. • Natural, minimized or exaggerated.

Use of Repetition, Variety, and Balance

• Repetition can create order, wholeness, and unity.

• Variety creates interest.

Line

• Can be curved, straight, or angular. • Can be symmetrical or disjointed.

Color

• Certain colors can reflect the date of the photo or artistic choice.