Critical Thinking - Viewing

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Images are created to communicateMost are created to communicate

quicklyAdvertisements, signs, etc.

Others require contemplationMona Lisa

Critical Thinking through Viewing

It is important to actively view imagesSurvey image

See image as a wholeLook at focal point (your eye will be drawn to

this)Consider relationship between foreground &

background, the content, & colorsInspect image

See every part of imageHints can be anywhere (tiny details and/or

image parts)

Critical Thinking through Viewing

It is important to actively view imagesQuestion Image (think about each part of

image)Sender (creator, why was it created)Message (subject, purpose)Medium (originally shown form; current form)Receiver (intended viewer, why you are

viewing)Context (first appear, appears now, relation to

context)

Critical Thinking through Viewing

It is important to actively view imagesUnderstand purpose (what is image meant to do)

Arouse curiosity (open imagination, stay on guard)Entertain (pleasure or joke, be wary of excess or

questionable material)Inform or educate (key instruction, note omitted

material)Illustrate (relate to words/concept illustrated, clarify or

distort)Persuade (appeal to viewer needs, manipulative,

clichéd, fallacious, play on emotion)Summarize (essential message, main idea correspond

with what is written)

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Chris Krenzke, published in school writing handbook, aimed at teaching specific word usage by entertaining (survey, inspect, question, relate)

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Interpret imageImmediately follows viewingDetermine what image is designed to

do, say or showRequires deeper thought about each

element along with complications

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Interpret imageSender (who created it & why)

May be unknown or a groupMessage (subject, how portrayed, main purpose)

May be mixed, implied, ironic, unwelcome, distorted messageMay be vague, unfamiliar, complex, disturbing subject

Medium (what is image)May be unusual, unfamiliar, multiple

Receiver (who it was created for, relationship to sender, agree with message, comfort, overall response)May be uninteresting, unfamiliar, or stem bias

Context (first presented, currently, fit or fight)May be disconnected, ironic, changing, multilayered

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Interpret image Bazuki Muhammad-

photographer Thais release candle balloons

during a mass for victims of Indian Ocean tsunami to remember those who died, but move forward with hope

Digital photograph Intended viewer: anyone Current viewer:

students/instructors Part of series provided for

global newspapers

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Evaluate ImageAssess quality, truthfulness, & valueConsider purpose

Ornamentation (pleasing to eye)Illustration (supports text)Revelation (inside look or new data)Explanation (clarify a complex subject)Instruction (guides through complex process)Persuasion (influences feelings or beliefs)Entertainment (amusement)

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Evaluate ImageEvaluate quality (how good it is)

Prepared with skillMeasure up to standardsCompare to other images like itShortcomings (gaps, twists, clichéd or fallacious)Better way to approach subject (improvements)

Determine value (tangible & intangible worth)Worth viewing (enriching or enhancing)Visual appeal

Critical Thinking through Viewing

Evaluate ImagePurpose?Quality?Value?

View, Interpret, & Evaluate Images

REMEMBER SENDER, MESSAGE, MEDIUM, RECEIVER, CONTEXT

DISCUSS HOW EACH PHOTO IMPACTS YOU AND SOCIETY