PHOTOGRAPH WORK

- A photograph is an image of an object, person or scene recorded by a camera on a light

sensitive film or paper.
- Photograph work is the ability to study and extract information from a photograph.

Types of Photographs
1. Ground photograph
2. Aerial photographs

1. GROUND PHOTOGRAPHS
 Objects far away from the camera are not always shown.
 the objects near the camera appear big and clear

Ground photographs are further classified into:

a) Ground general view.
b) Ground close up (particular view).
c) Ground oblique
a) Ground Close-up and its characteristics
 The camera focus on one major object such as an animal, a crop/ a tree or a car.
 The object focused on appears large and clearer.
 The object captured appears on foreground/ middle ground/ background of the
photograph.
 The object focused on may block out the other things behind it.

b) Ground General View Photograph and its characteristics

 The objects in the photograph become progressively smaller as the distance from the camera
increases.
 It captures a broad/ wider view of an area.
 It focuses on many objects.
 The clarity of objects reduces from foreground to background.
 It can easily be divided in foreground, middle ground and background.

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c) Ground oblique
 This is taken while the photographer is standing on higher ground than
the object.
 The camera is tilted downwards towards the object.

2. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
 Photographs taken from the air using aircrafts, ballons, parachutes and sometimes satellites.

Types of aerial photographs

a) Vertical aerial photographs
b) Oblique aerial photographs.

a) Vertical Aerial Photograph

 These photographs are taken from vertically above as illustrated in

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  The camera lense focuses vertically on the area to be photographed.
 Only the tops of features like hills, trees and buildings can be seen as shown in below.
 These types of photographs are used for making maps.

b) Oblique Aerial Photograph

 These are photographs taken from a low flying aircraft with the camera tilted at an angle and
cover a relatively large area as shown in below.
 The objects nearer the camera are larger than those far away.
 Although they are similar to ground obliques they cover large areas and the features on them
appear smaller and more obscure.

Parts of a photograph
- A photograph is divided into three main parts namely:
a.) Foreground- This is the part nearest to the camera.
b.) Middle ground- This is the part in the centre of the photograph.
c.) Background- This is the part farthest from the camera.

- Each of these parts is sub-divided into left, middle and right that makes it easier to locate
and describe features on the photograph.
Left Background Middle Background Right Background
Left Middle ground Middle Middle ground Right Middle ground
Left Foreground Middle Foreground Right Foreground

Position of the Camera

Uses of Photographs.

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  Used in learning geography. They bring unfamiliar features in the classroom enabling the
students to understand them better.
 Used for production of maps.
 Used to show special changes occurring in a place.
 They provide information on land use i.e. human activities.
 They show the general landscape e.g. vegetation, physical features.
 They assist in determining the sizes of objects.
 Sketch diagrams showing specific features can be drawn.
 They are used for future reference/provide evidence.
Limitations in the use of photographs.
 They are relatively expensive to produce.
 Black and white photographs may not show the real colors of objects and scenery.
 It is challenging to determine distance and height accurately.
 Photos become outdated with time.
 It's difficult to interpret photos with blurred images.
 Photographs record many visible features even the irrelevant ones.
 Some photographs does not indicate time when an event like floods, earthquakes
occurred.

 Relief features which can be deduced from a photograph include

the slope, hills, plains, plateaus, ranges, escarpments and valleys.
❖ clues use describe the relief of a given area in the
photograph:
Description of Relief Evidence
Highland area Hilly landscapes/tea growing
plain or is a gently sloping. Irrigation activities/ combine harvesters
steep landscape Terraced landscape
flat landscape Swamps

Drainage
 The common drainage features that may appear on photographs include
rivers, lakes, oceans, swamps, ponds, wells, boreholes and irrigation
channels.
Interpreting drainage on a photograph:
i.Youthful Stage-Indicated by Rapids, Waterfalls, Interlocking spurs
ii.Middle Stage-Indicated by Meanders, oxbow lakes
iii.Lower/old Stage-Indicated by Deltas, distributaries, meanders and oxbow lakes, flood plain
 determine the direction of flow-by looking at the general relief. Rivers flow from
higher ground (source) to lower ground.
Vegetation
Tips for describing vegetation on a photograph
 Describe the shape of vegetation e.g , umbrella shaped/broad leaves/needle shaped
leaves/thorny/bulky stem.
 Density of vegetation i.e are the trees close together or scattered/ it has (little) undergrowth.
 Identify the vegetation species i.e it is one type of vegetation/trees of the same species.
 Identify different vegetation types such as tropical rainforest grasslands,
woodland vegetation, scrubs and desert vegetation.
 State the type of vegetation e.g. trees, grass, swamps, shrubs etc.

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  Describe the height and shape of vegetation e.g. tall, short, and cone-shaped.
 Describe the density of the vegetation e.g. scattered trees, undergrowth etc.
 Identify the vegetation as either man-made or natural. Planted vegetation usually appear in
rows (patterns) with little undergrowth and have the same tree species of similar heights.
Climate
 Different aspects of climate may be deduced from a photograph:
Climatic condition evidence
high temperatures sugarcane plantations/ people wearing light cloth
cool climate. tea and dairy farms/ people wearing heavy cloth
High and reliable rainfall which is evenly dairy farming/tea/coffee growing
distributed.
Low rainfall short scrub or Bush land
Economic Activities in A Photograph
Economic activity Evidence
Livestock keeping Cattle/sheep/goats on a vast grazing land
Fishing fishing vessels, people casting nets and fish traps.

Mining a mine/quarry, people undertaking a mining

activity/a mineral processing factory.

Manufacturing factory buildings with large chimneys/ o people

engaged in a processing activity like jua kali
artisans.

Transport motor transport (vehicles on roads), Railway

transport (railway line, trains), Air transport
(air craft, flat tarmacked piece of land), and
water transport (boats, ships, ferries).

Communication telephone lines, telephone booths, post office,

satellite masts, T.V and Radio stations,
Mobile phones and cyber cafes
Lumbering people cutting trees using power saws, people
loading timber onto lorries, logs pilled near a
saw mill, forests with stumps e.t.c.

Describing Settlement on a photograph

Rural Settlements Semi-permanent houses, Farming or fishing
activity, Uneven distribution of settlements,
Presence of village
Urban Settlements Permanent buildings, Storey buildings, Heavy
traffic presence, Regulars tree patterns, High
population densities

TIPS FOR DESCRIBING A PHOTOGRAPH;

 Use the parts of a photograph when describing features.
 When describing the photograph with evidence, use only the evidence available in the photograph
not what you know.

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  Time: Stick to: Midmorning, afternoon, or 4.00 P.M to 5.00 P.M –Avoid being specific. E.g
Noon.
 While drawing a sketch, position the features in their correct points.
 Make sure you label all the features sketched inside the sketch.

KCSE PRECTISE REVISION QUESTIONS

1. a) Identify the activity on the photograph below
 Pastoralism
b) Name the type of photograph above
 Ground general view

2. Study the photograph below and use it to answer question (a)

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(i) Name the type of photograph shown above (1 mark)
 Ground general view
(ii) What time of the day was the photograph taken if the camera was held facing south? (1mark)
 Evening
(iii) Draw a rectangle measuring 16cm by 9cm to represent the area of the photograph. On it sketch and
label the main features shown on the photograph (5 marks)

(iv) Describe the landscape of the area represented by the photograph. (3marks)
 The land rises from the foreground towards the background
 The area covered with vegetation is slightly raised.
 The area in the background has bare rock surfaces/rock outcrops.
 The area in the foreground is gently sloping
3. Study the photograph below and answer the questions

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(i) Identify the type of photograph.
 Ground /ground general view
(ii) Describe the features shown on the photograph

 On the foreground there is bare ground/some short vegetation cattle browsing /grazing.
 In the middle ground there is a herdsman and some cattle on the move/raising dust.
 There is a road in the middle ground
 At the background there are some patches of grass/some trees/shrubs/thickets
 Some parts of the background are bare surface
 Clear skies in the background
 There is a fence in the middle ground
(iii) What three indicators show that the area was experiencing drought when the photograph was
taken?
 The cloudless sky
 The malnourished/thin animals
 Dust raised by moving animals
 Bare ground/sparse vegetation /patches of vegetation/little vegetation
 Patches of dry /brown grass
4. The photographic below / provided shows a tea growing area in Kenya. Use to answer questions a and
b.

a) What evidence in the photograph shows that this is a ground general View type of photograph .
 It focuses on all / many objects
 The object becomes progressively smaller towards the background
 It captures the general appearance of the area.

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 ii) Draw a rectangle measuring 15cm by 10cm to represent the area of the

photography.

NB: If rectangle is disoriented, award one mark only, mark the rectangle
photograph. On it sketch and label the main features shown on the and not the features.

iii) Identify two features from photograph that shows that this is a small scale tea farm.
 The type of simple houses / houses within the farm.
 The mode of transport by using donkeys
 Houses within the farm
 Untrimmed edges of tea bushes
 Dry maize stalks near the houses.
5. study the photograph below and answer the questions

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a) i) Identify the type of photograph.
 Ground / close up photograph
ii) Describe the appearance of the forest shown on the photograph.


The trees have straight sterns

The forest has tall trees

The trees are close to each other/thick forest

The trees are almost the same height.

They are of the same species.

There are some scrubs/undergrowth

Some trees are conical shaped

Trees are thin

6. Study the photograph below and use it to answer questions (a)

(a) (i) Name the type of photograph shown.

 Ground photograph/ ground general view
(ii) Draw a rectangle measuring 15cm to 10cm to represent the area of photograph

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(iii)On the rectangle draw a sketch of the photograph and label three physical features
(iv) Explain two physical conditions that would discourage setting up of a game park in the area shown on
the photograph
 The area lacks sufficient vegetation that would provide food for wildlife/ the area lacks
vegetation to provide shelter/ hiding habitation for wild animals
 The area is high above sea level where the atmospheric pressure may be too low to allow some
living things to survive
 The high attitude/ presence of snow indicates low temperature unsuitable for survival of living
things
 The area is a mountaintop which sometimes experiences snowfall which would discourage
wildlife
 The steep slope/ rugged terrain harbors movements of animals in the game parks.

7. Study the photograph below and use it to answer questions (a)

a) (i) Draw a rectangle 16cm by 10 cm to represent then area of the Photograph

(ii) On the rectangle, show the following

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  Railway line
 Cultivated land
(iii) If the train shown on the photograph was travelling to Mombasa, name two export
commodities it is likely to be carrying
 Soda ash/trona
 Textile products
iv) Describe the distribution of the vegetation in the area shown on the photograph
 There are shrubs in the right foreground
 There are herbs/ grass along the railway line
 There are shrubs/ tree hedges separating farms
 There are patches of three/ forest in the center middle ground
 There is a stretch of forest in the background

8. study the photograph below and use it to answer the question (a

a. i) Name the type of photograph given above. Ground general view ground photograph
ii) Draw a rectangle measuring 17cm by 12cm to represent the area of the
photograph. On it sketch and label the main features shown on the photograph.

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iii) Describe the landscape of the area represented by the photograph
 The land rises from the middle ground towards the back ground
 The area in the foreground is flat
 The area covered by vegetation is slightly raised
 The area in the background has hills/ridges
 There is a slight depression in the middle ground
9. Study the photograph provided and answer questions (a) and (b)

a) Name
i) The mining method shown in the photograph
 Panning/alluvial mining/placer mining
ii) Two minerals that may be mined using the method shown in the photograph
 Gold
 Diamond
 Platinum
 Tin
b) i) Using evidence from the photograph give four indicators that show that the weather was hot
when the photograph was taken.
 Almost all the miners have removed their soils/have chested
 Some miners are wearing hats/head scarfs
 The sky is clear
 The shadows indicate that the sun is almost overhead.
 Use of an umbrella by a person at the middle ground.
 Bodies are glistering with sweat/sweaty bodies
 There is a reflection of the sun rays on the wider surface
(ii) Describe how minerals are obtained using the mining method shown in the photograph.

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  A mixture of water, solid/mud and mineral particles is scooped from the water bed using
a pan.
 Water is added if the mixture is thick/if the water is excess it is decanted
 The material scooped is swirled in the pan. This separates the lighter material from the
heavier particles which contain the mineral particles.
 The lighter material is removed/poured out
 The heavier materials are sorted to display mineral particles.
 The mineral particles are collected from the pan.
iii) Citing evidence from the photograph, explain two ways in which the mining methods has
affected the environment.
 The scooping of materials has led to water pollution as indicated by the brown color stagnant
water which may make it unfair for people to use.
 The continuous scooping and dumping of the waste has led to land dereliction as indicated by
the depression and heaps of waste material.
 The method has led to destruction of vegetation as miners cleared the land to access the area
with the mineral as indicated by absence of vegetation bare ground/in the foreground/middle
ground.
 The method has led to loss of biodiversity/destroyed the ecosystem as indicated by the absence
of plant life where mining is taking place.
iv) Apart from the method shown in the photograph, name three other mining methods.
 Opencast/quarrying/stripping method
 Deep shaft/underground method/solution
 Adit/drift/horizon/tunnel method/slope mining
 Drilling method
10. Study the photograph below and answer questions (a)

i) Identify the type of photograph shown above

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  Ground general view photograph
ii) Draw a rectangle measuring 15cm by 10cm to represent the area covered
by the photograph.

iii) On rectangle, sketch and label four main features shown on the photograph.
iv) Using evidence from the photograph, identify two indicators that show the area receives high rainfall.
 presence of a forest
 Mountain at the background
 Continuous grass cover
 Dairy cattle

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11. Study the photograph below and use it to answer question (a).

(a) (i) Identify the type of photograph shown above.

 Ground general view/Ground oblique.
(ii) Name the type of settlement shown on the photograph.
 Informal settlement/urban/slum.
(iii) What time of the day was the photograph taken.
 Afternoon/mid-morning.
(iv) Draw a rectangle measuring 15 cm by 10 cm. On it, sketch and label five human features shown on
the photograph.

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Drawing a rectangle correctly (1 mark)
Roads
Silos
Flood lights
Telephone line
Fences
Planted trees.
Wall.
near industries.
settlement.
centres/new settlements.
(Any 5 x 1 = 5 marks)
12. Study the photograph below and use it to answer question (a)

(a) (i) What evidence shows that this is a ground general-view photograph?
 The photograph captures the broad view of area/a broad view of the area is captured.
 The focus is on many objects

(ii) Draw a rectangle measuring 12 cm by 8 cm (1 mark)

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(iii) On the rectangle, sketch and label the following features shown on the photograph:
Planted crops (1 mark)
Tree stumps (1 mark)
Forest. (1 mark)
Felled trees. (1 mark)
The sky. (1 mark)
(iv) Describe the characteristics of the forest shown on the photograph.
 The forest has tall trees.
 The trees have straight stems.
 The forest has some shrubs/undergrowth.
 Some trees have thin stems.
 The trees are close to each other. /dense forest
 The trees form different layers/canopies.
 Some trees are umbrella shaped.
 The forest is natural.
 The forest has mixed species
6. Study the photograph provided and answer question 6(a).

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(a) (i) Identify the type of photograph shown above.
 Ground general view
(ii) What time of the day was the above photograph taken?(1 marks)
 midmorning
(iii) Draw a rectangle measuring 15 cm by 10 cm. On it. sketch and label the features shown on the
photograph.

1994: a) i) Name the mining method shown in the photograph. (1 mark)

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 ii) Describe how minerals are obtained using the method shown in the photograph. (3 marks)

 A mixture of water, solid/ mud and mineral particles is scooped from the water bed
using a pan.
 Water is added if the mixture is thick/ if the water is excess it is decanted.
 The material scooped is swirled in the pan.
 This separates the lighter material from the heavier particles which contain the mineral
particles.
 The lighter material is removed/ poured out.
 The heavier materials are sorted to display mineral particles.
 The mineral particles are collected from the pan.

b) Using evidence from the photograph,

i) describe the weather conditions of the area shown. (2 marks)

 The weather was hot evident by;

❖ Almost all the miners have removed their shirts/ bare chested.
❖ Some miners are wearing hats/light clothes
❖ The shadows indicate that the sun is almost overhead.
❖ Bodies are glistering with sweat/ sweaty bodies.
❖ There is a reflection of the sun rays on their clothes

ii) Suggest the time of the day when the photograph is likely to have been taken. (2 marks)

 afternoon

d)i) Apart from the method shown in the photograph, name three other mining methods. (3 marks)

 Open cast mining

 Underground mining
1989: The photograph below shows some types of land use in an area in Kenya. Study it and answer the
questions that follow.

a) i) Draw a sketch of the photograph and on it show the three main types of land use in the
area shown in the photograph. (4 marks)

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ii) Explain why it is likely that there is little soil erosion in the area shown in the photograph. (5 marks)

 The top/background is covered with grass/pasture/trees protects the soil from wind and water
erosion.
 The steeper ground in the middle ground has trees whose roots hold the soil together. Trees
also reduce the force of raindrops and break the speed of the wind
 In the foreground, bunds /grass have been built to protect soil from being swept away.
 Strip cropping/strip farming/strip cultivation traps soil/checks speed of surface run off.
 Terraces trap soil/checks speed of water.
 Mulching keeps soil particles together
 The gentle nature of the foreground reduces the speed of water.
b) i) The crops shown in the foreground of the photograph are usually grown near urban areas.
Why is this so? (3 marks)

 The crops grown are perishable and cannot be kept for long periods without the use of
expensive refrigeration.
 Urban centers provide large and ready market for the crops.
 The marketing of the crops usually relies on pressure of efficient transport which is normally
close to them
 Limited land for large scale growing near urban areas
1991:.Study the photograph and answer the questions which follow.

a)Name i) the method of irrigation shown in the photograph. (1 mark)

 Sprinkler/overhead irrigation

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ii) the type of trees shown in the photograph. (1 mark)
 Ground general view photograph
(a) (i) Give five possible reasons why the farmer planted trees.
 the t trees act as wind breakers.
 trees reduce the speed of the wind which may cause uneven distribution of irrigation
water.
 trees act as a barrier ag against water/discourage soil erosion. free flow of surface
 trees act as boundary farms/plots. markers between different farms/plots
 trees are a source of wood-fuel
 trees are a source of building material
 trees are a source of herbal medicine
 trees are source of income
 Any 5 x 1 (5 marks)
(b) Describe four problems which may result from irrigating land using the method Shown in
the photograph.
 If the amount of water is not properly controlled, the fields will become flood
flooded/crops flooded crops will be spoilt.
 Flooding of the fields leads to sheet erosion
 Leaching of nutrients from the top layer of soils occurs
 Evaporation leads to salination of the soils
 The moist and hot conditions promote the breeding of pests.
 The moist and hot conditions lead to outbreak incidence of diseases.
 Wastage of water. any 4 x 2 (8 marks)
1995: Study the photograph below and use it to answer questions (a)and (b).

i) Name the type of pollution shown in the photograph. (1 mark)

 Land pollution/ground pollution.

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ii) State four reasons why this type of pollution is common in urban centers. (4 marks)
 Shortage/scarcity of garbage bins/trucks/misappropriation of funds/clear area properly
 Irresponsibility/carelessness of the residents
 Laxity in the collection of waste/delay in garbage collection/sabotage
 High turnover of garbage by the large population/industries.
 Ignorance on the part of the residents
 Poorly enforced by-laws pertaining to dumping
2023: Study the photograph below and use it to answer question (a).

(a) (i) What evidence in the photograph shows that it is a ground general view type of
photograph?
 The objects get progressively smaller towards the background.
 It captures the general view of the scenery
 It focuses on all/many objects
(ii) Draw a rectangle 14cm by 8cm to represent the area of the photograph. On it, sketch and label the
main features shown on the photograph.

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