Define three level of viewing images - Essay Example

Levels of Viewing Images This paper defines three levels of viewing images. These levels are the literal, rhetorical and critical view. The paper also considers some points when viewing, analyzing and evaluating an image. These points are represented in the questions of; where does the image appear? What story does the image support? What purpose does the image serve in the telling of the story? Why did the artist construct the image in that particular way? How closely does the text accompanying the image fit with the image?

How genuine or truthful is the image in the story it purports to portray or represent? And what is excluded in the image that should be included? To illustrate these points, the paper will use an image from one of the widely read internet news sites and attempt to answer all the questions above. The paper will also describe the surface meaning of the image, explain how the image has been manipulated to articulate a certain perspective, and evaluate the image using the checklist provided above.

Image under DiscussionImage 1. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/20/us-usa-campaign-romney-idUSBRE87J0P020120820By Steve HollandGOFFSTOWN, New Hampshire | Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:45pm EDT(Reuters) - Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan engaged in tag-team attacks on President Barack Obama and the Federal Reserve on Monday at a joint appearance that showcased the chemistry between the Republican presidential candidate and his running mate.Levels of Viewing ImagesA picture is worth a thousand words, so goes the popular saying.

As Porter and Scheer suggests, analyzing an image requires three key steps. One has to observe the image and describe exactly what is seen in it. One has to identify the people and objects in the image, scrutinize the physical setting, and discern how everything is arranged. The second step is to summarize what one already knows about everything that is in the image. One should take note of the people, the subject matter, the situation, the social context and the time when the image was constructed or the period it depicts.

The third step is interpretation. The observer has to use what they see in the image to make conclusions on what is going on, what the functions of objects in the picture are, who the people are, what the people are doing and what the period implies. Observation / Literal ViewObservation answers the questions of what, where and when. Observation takes cognizance of what is literally visible in the image. From the picture by Holland (2012) showed above, it depicts two men in the foreground and a crowd in the background.

One of the men on the foreground is carrying a microphone and the people in the crowd are carrying placards and cameras. The background also shows the sky, some trees, and the steeple of a building. Knowledge / Rhetorical ViewOne’s prior knowledge makes it possible to identify the familiar items and faces in the image. The image chosen has famous identifiable figures in the foreground. The two gentlemen are the United States Republican presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, Mitt Romney, and his running mate, Paul Ryan.

They are at an outdoor political rally at either a church or a school, as suggested by the building behind them. The trees and sky inform on an outdoor event, and the visible placard tells the viewer that it is a political rally. The rhetorical view answers the questions of what is happening at this event. Who are these people? And where are they?Interpretation / Critical ViewInterpretation of what is visible helps one to get the full message that the image portrays. In the picture, Mitt Romney seems to be introducing Paul Ryan to the crowd.

Their smiles seem to express some happiness at being together and at that venue. The crowd seems to be joyously clapping, which may be translated to mean the crowd’s approval of the team presented to them. Some of the members of the crowd seem to be giving a standing ovation and that may mean they support Romney’s pick of running mate.Recommendation and ConclusionTo do a comprehensive image analysis, one has to observe the image, use their knowledge to identify objects, interpret and identify themes and messages being transmitted.

The chosen picture was taken and captioned by Reuters, the worldwide News providers. The words captioned seem to suggest that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are trying to convince their supporters that they are a team with one purpose. Their posture suggests a congenial partnership and mutual respect for each other. The crowd’s reaction suggests that Ryan is both charming and charismatic, for he is the one holding the microphone suggesting that he has just spoken. ReferencesHolland, S. (2012). US Campaign: Romney, Ryan double up against Obama and the Fed.

Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/20/us-usa-campaign-romney-idUSBRE87J0P020120820Porter, J., & Scheer, L. Visual Analysis of Sandra Raynor’s “Unspoken”. Retrieved on 20th Aug 2012 from http://faculty.smcm.edu/lnscheer/IVT/3_essayassess.htm