Analyzing Photographic Images

In this final essay, you are going to analyze, compare, and contrast two photographs of your choice on a similar theme involving people as the main subject. In so doing, you will think about the what the purposes of the photographs are and what the photographers do to achieve those purposes. For example, they may want to show that a politician is either powerful or friendly, a sports personality serious or fun-loving, an ordinary member of the public frightened or bored or aggressive.

Having decided what the purposes of the two photographs are, you will analyze how the photographers achieve them. What are the facial expressions, eye-gaze, and postures of the people in the photos? What are they wearing? What are they doing? What kind of props are used? How is the camera positioned? What can we see in the background? What colors are used? Etc.

This essay will be about two pages long. It will consist of a brief introduction which tells the audience what pictures will be discussed, together with a thesis which states the purposes of the two pictures. It will follow this structure:

Introduction: state which two pictures you are discussing and include a thesis stating the purpose(s) of each photograph.

Description paragraph: describe what you can see in each picture so that the reader, who cannot see the pictures, can visualize them.

Two Analysis paragraphs: write about the techniques the photographers use to achieve their purposes. You may focus on the people, the lighting, the camera angles, the background etc. However, make sure you include a clear topic sentences to show the reader what the topic of the paragraph is.

Length: around two pages

Format: MLA