READING PHOTOGRAPHS
DESCRIBE. RELATE. ANALYZE. INTERPRET. EVALUATE.
Describe it.
Look at this photograph for a
moment. What observations can you make about it?
What kinds of things do you
see in this photograph? What else do you see?
What words would you use to
describe this photograph? What other words might we use?
How would you describe this
photograph to a person who could not see it?
How would you describe the
people in this picture? Are they like you or different?
How would you describe (the
place depicted in) this photograph?
How would you describe the
lines in this picture? The shapes? The colors? What does this photograph show?
Relate it.
What does this photograph
remind you of?
What things do you recognize
in this photograph? What things seem new to you?
How is this picture different
from real life?
What interests you most about
this work of art?
How is this photograph like what
you have seen before? What are some important differences? And what do those
two photographs have in common?
Analyze it.
What is closer to you? Further
away?
What can you tell or describe about
the colors in this photograph? If it is black & white, how do you describe
the value? What color/value is used the most in this photograph?
What makes this photograph
look crowded?
What can you tell me about the
person in this photograph?
What can you tell me about how
this person lived? How did you arrive at that idea?
What do you think is the most
important part of this picture?
How do you think the photographer
made this work?
What questions would you ask
the photographer about this work, if s/he were here?
Interpret it.
What title would you give to
this photograph? What made you decide on that title?
What other titles could we
give it?
What do you think is happening
in this photograph? What else could be happening?
What sounds would this
photograph make (if it could)?
What do you think is going on
in this picture? How did you arrive at that idea?
What do you think this
photograph is about? How did you come up that idea?
Pretend you are inside this
photograph. What does it feel like?
What do you think the objects
are used for? How did you arrive at that idea?
Why do you suppose the artist
made this photograph? What makes you think that?
What do you think it would be
like to live in this photograph? What makes you think that?
Evaluate it.
What do you think is good
about this photograph? What is not so good?
Do you think the person who made
the photograph did a good or bad job? What makes you think so?
Why do you think other people
should see this photograph?
What do you think other people
would say about this work? Why do you think that?
What grade would you give the
artist for this photograph? How did you arrive at that grade?
What would you do with this
work if you owned it?
What do you think is worth
remembering about this photograph?