Decoding a picture

When words cease…

 Allusions
Like in literature, an allusion is a
reference to another text, work of art,
historical figure, mythical figure, or
idea. Artists use allusions to develop
meaning by signalling a connection to
or awareness of other ideas.

For example, in Matt Groening’s TV

show The Simpsons he often makes
allusions to well-known works of arts.
The example below makes allusions to
Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory
by replacing it’s famous clocks with
his characters.
Bird’s View Angle
● Unique perspective
● No obstruction
● Subject in its
environment
● Flattens the scene,
emphasizing lines,
shapes, and (especially)
shadows
The high angle

● Just get a few inches or feet

above
● A high angle often makes your
subject look smaller or more
vulnerable
Face to face
● Done at your subject’s
eye level
● Often highly engaging
and helps to establish a
connection between the
subject in your photo
and the person viewing.
Low angle
● Makes the
subject look
strong and
majestic
● More hooking
● Bigger than it is
Bug’s Eye View
● Also called
extreme low angle
● Makes the subject
formidable even if
they are not
● Makes the viewer
smaller
 Composition

What is included is deliberately placed (also applies to what is omitted). Consider

all inclusions and omissions e.g. surroundings, objects, clothing etc.

● The rule of thirds

● Leading lines
● Texture
● Color
● Shape
● Framing
Rule of thirds
The focal point of
your composition
should sit at one of
the grid line
intersection points.
 Leading lines
When we see an image, we also “read” it.
Your eye goes from one element to the next
– in order to view details and understand
the story that’s being told.

That’s where the leading lines come into play: They

guide the eye through the image.

Leading lines can be present or implied, and they

can be straight or curved.
Texture
● To show contrast
● To detail differences
 Colour
Hue refers to the actual colour. For
example, red, green, blue, etc.

Tone refers to the intensity of the

colour. For example, you can adjust
the hue by adding black and white
to it to change its warmth or
coolness.

Shades are when you only add

black to the hue, making it darker.
Tints are where you only add white
to a hue, making it lighter.
● To create contrast
● To portray vibrance
● To make the subject stand
out
● To juxtapose
 Framing

● To flatter the subject

● Balancing and
highlighting
● Natural framing adds
more depth and focus
 Types of
Framing decides
the gaze of the
viewer

● Close-ups - for focus on detail

● Extreme close-ups - more
detailed, only eyes or lips or
specific things
● Medium shots - subject and
background
● Long shots - subject looks
smaller
Shape
Circles and ovals, rounded shapes create a sense
of movement because of the lack of corners and
edges. Rounded forms relate to calmness and
tranquillity.
Squares and rectangles tend to create a feeling
of stability. Straight lines have implications of
assurance and strength. They also have a harsh
quality that relates to stubbornness or anger.
Triangles in photography direct the eye like an
arrow. Flip the triangle upside down so that it’s
resting on its point, and you signify a loss of
balance.
Irregular shapes, where sides are different
lengths, can also create a tense and uneasy
feeling in your photography.
Space
This refers to the empty portions of an
image. Space is used to draw attention to
the objects that are in the image.

For example, an image with lots of space

can convey isolation or emptiness while
images with little space can convey chaos
and intense activity.

Australian painter Jeffery Smart was

renowned for his use of space to convey
the emptiness and loneliness of urban
life.
Gaze
The way a character looks with their
eyes and face. Gaze is a useful way to
convey meaning through an image
because we can see where and how a
figure is looking at something.

Intra-diegetic: The character is

looking at something within the text

Extra-diegetic: The character is

looking at something outside of the
text. In some instances, the subject
may be looking directly at the viewer.
This is called a demand gaze or direct
gaze.

In Eduardo Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” (1882), the subject stares at the viewer who
stands in (through a trick of perspective reminiscent of, or possibly a homage to, Valesquez’s
Las Minas) for the customer we see in the reflection. The server’s gaze is indifferent, reflecting
her status in nineteenth-century Parisian society.
 Contrast
The arrangement of
opposite or differing
elements (light and dark,
large and small, rough and
smooth) to create interest,
excitement or drama.

In William Holbrook Beard’s “Discovery of Adam” (1891), the artist uses the contrast
between the apes, dressed and acting as scientists, and the prehistoric creature in the back
to satirise the focus on Darwinism in the nineteenth century.
Courtesy:
1. https://digital-photography-school.com/composition-in-photography/
2. https://www.matrix.edu.au/essential-guide-to-english-techniques/visual-techni
ques-toolkit/
3. https://drawpaintacademy.com/understanding-composition-for-artists/
4. https://expertphotography.com/texture-in-photography/
5. http://photographyblogger.net/22-great-examples-of-photos-that-use-contrasti
ng-color/
6. https://webneel.com/love-colours-25-colorful-photography-examples
7. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-camera-shots/