Writing about Photographs

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Writing about Photographs WARM-UP Think back to
our discussion on reading a filmNOW In your
notebook, explain how A person can read a
photograph.
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What is Photography?

• If photography is writing with light, then we can
  read the light to uncover the messages it
  sends.

Photography, n from the greek photos, light and
graphein, write to write with light
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Analyzing Mood In Photography

• Mood is described as the feeling that a work of
  literature evokes.
• HOWEVERreplace literature with photograph!

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How to Analyze Mood in Photography

• The Subject- Who is in the photo? What are they
  doing?
• The Setting- Where is the photo taken? Time and
  placeand even weather.
• The Composition-How is the photo set up?
  Lighting, positioning of subjects, focus, etc.

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What is the subject of this photo? What is the
Mood? How do you know?
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How is this photograph composed (subject,
lighting, etc.)? What is the Mood? How do you
know?
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Key Photography Lingo!
Balance Good balance is simply the arrangement
of shapes, colors, or areas of light and dark
that complement one another so that the
photograph attains good composition. Framing
This refers to the way that objects within a
photograph create a center of interest (subject).
What is the subject of this photograph?
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The Lingo continued

• Camera Angle This refers to the orientation of
  the subject to the camera. ?

• Distance The area of space between the camera
  and the subject.
• Lighting The visual contrast of light and dark.
  
• How are all of these components used in this
  photograph?

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How it all comes together

• Just as a writer uses specific words, phrases,
  rhetoric, etc. to help create theme, so do
  artists (in this case photographers) with the way
  in which they compose their photographs.
• Read and analyze photographs in the same ways
  that you read and analyze a text.

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What is the recurring Mood?

• Set Your Purpose for reading!
• What is the recurring mood in the three photos by
  Imogen Cunningham and how does the mood create
  meaning for the viewer? Cite specifics from the
  photographs to support your answer.
• Use the photo lingo to help with the support!

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Compare the Mood!

• Photo One
• Support
• Photo Two
• Support
• Photo Three
• Support

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Compare the Mood!

• Lets look at the photographs again and respond
  using your new photography lingo!
• Answer the following question in BCR Format What
  is the recurring mood in the three photos by
  Imogen Cunningham and how does the mood create
  meaning for the viewer? Cite specifics from the
  photographs to support your answer.

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Your Assignment

• Compose a 500-700 word photo journal analyzing
  the recurring mood of a selection of photographs
  by the same artist and explain how the photos
  then create meaning for the reader (theme).
• Analyzing the mood of at least three photographs
  by the same artist and how the photos create
  meaning
• Brainstorming possible thesis statement for the
  introduction
• Composing a coherent thesis statement

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Your Assignment Cont

• Identifying the desired tone and voice for the
  written piece
• Organizing pre-written ideas into a draft with a
  clear beginning, middle, and end that includes
  details from the photographs to support the
  theme.
• Revising the essay to produce a well-developed,
  organized photo journal that not only identifies
  the recurring mood, but also explains the meaning
  created
• Editing and revising to demonstrate mastery of
  on-grade level language usage skills.

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The Plan

• Format Your Paper In the Following Way
• Introduction
• Lure your reader (Party in the Front)
• Thesis Statement
• Background
• Include both paraphrased and cited information
  about the photographer and her/his work.
• Photo Analysis (may be more than one paragraph)
• Analyze all three photographs touching on how the
  recurring mood is
• createdremembering to cite the text using
  photograph lingo.
• Meaning Analysis (connection)
• Develop an analysis of how the photograph created
  meaning for youthis is one big
• figurative connection.
• Conclusion
• Restate your thesis
• Leave your reader with a lasting thought (Party
  in the Back)
• Works Cited Page
• Include a works cited page that cites the website
  your used and as well as the
• photographs you discussed.

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Closure

• In your groups, determine the mood of the given
  photograph and discuss how the theme creates
  meaningbe prepared to discuss.