To Read the Photograph

Documentary photos show only what the photographer means to show. The photographer emphasizes certain parts of the image, he crops out the ugly bits with his lens and camera positioning, he puts us in awe of the beauty of an expanse of fall leaves, or he stuns us with a strangely captivating image of a burning village.

This was the case since the beginning of photography, since the beginning of all art, really. A creation will always reflect the views of its creator. Even without the aid of digital manipulation tools like Photoshop, the photographer has the power to say what he wants with his creations. And it’s never a complete truth.

Even when a photographer tries to be as objective and unbiased as possible, there is always more to know about a situation than what can be described through one or two photos. So this really isn’t to say that all photographs are always lying to you. You just need to be able to see what they mean, beyond the obvious.

1. Check the Source. This helps you put the photo in context and find out about other sources and opinions relating to the photo.

-Where are you seeing this photo?

-Do you trust that source?

-Where else does it appear on the Internet? (Try Google’s drag-and-drop image search)

2. Read the Text.
Read the caption. It should give you basic facts like who, what, where, and when.
Read the accompanying article. What does it tell you about the photo and what was happening? What context does it give?

-Remember that just like the photographer, the article’s author works under constraints and therefore will not be able to give you a complete, unbiased description of the story.

3. Analyze the Photo.
What appears to be the main subject?

-Why is that the main subject?

-Why did the photographer choose to make that the main subject instead of something else in the frame, or possibly something else we can’t see outside the frame?

Scan the whole photo for people and objects that may be important.

-What are some facts we can gather about each element?

-What can we infer or safely assume about each element?

-Which elements do you think are most important to what’s going on in the photo?

Look at the background.

-Where is the photo set?

-What do you know about that place or area?

-What can you find out?

4. Look Outside the Photo
There’s always more happening than what can be portrayed in one or two photos.

-What might be happening outside the frame?

-Why did the photographer include what he did in the frame but exclude everything else?

The photographer chose a specific instant to snap the photo.

-Why not another time?

-What was so important about this instant?

-What might have happened before or after this photo was taken?

5. Check Other Photos
If there are accompanying photos in the same series, analyze them like you did the first one.

-How are the other photos similar or different from the first photo?

-Do they seem to agree with or contradict one another?

-What can you infer from seeing two or more photos from the same series together?

6. Piece Together the Story
Step back and look at all the information you’ve gathered about this photo.

-What can you conclude about the photo?

-Does it look straightforward?

-Does the photographer or news source seem to be trying to twist the story?

7. Talk to Friends
Each person will come away with a different interpretation and opinion of a photo. Compare what you came up with to the ideas of people you know and trust.


Check a news source now and find a photo that you might want to find more about. The extra information might just be sitting right there!