Photographs often make arguments, just like written texts, but we have to look closely to see them.
Read the section (pp. 42-48) and answer questions 1-3 (p. 48). It can also be helpful to read the questions before you read the assigned pages so you understand how you will be expected to apply the ideas that you are learning about. Feel free to conduct some brief research about the photographs but make sure you give credit to the source. Number the questions and upload them as a single file. All file types are excepted.
“Reading, Writing, and Discussion Questions
What visual details contribute to the success of Norma Jean Gargasz’s picture of a man looking through the border wall from Mexico?
In Joseph Prezioso’s photograph, the sign around the neck of the protester on the left says, “(Making a Profit) Caging Babies Is Immoral!” She was one of a group of protesters who marched in August 2019 from churches in various New England states to Dover, New Hampshire, where ninety-five immigrants were being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Strafford County Detention Center. The woman on the right was among the counter protesters. How would you describe the looks on the women’s faces and their body language? What values are at odds in their confrontation? How does the angle of the camera contribute to the statement made in the image?
The photo by Courtney Coko Moore was taken on the first day of second grade for the two boys. The boy on the left has autism and had started crying because of all the noise and chaos as they waited for the doors to open. What visual elements contribute to the impact of the picture? Why do you think the picture went viral in August 2019?
Argument essentials
Visual Rhetoric
Use these four steps as basic guidelines for analyzing visual rhetoric:
Preread. Consider who created the visual, what the context was, and whether and where it was published.
Read for content. With visual rhetoric, this means “reading” both the pictures and the written text.
Read for rhetorical strategies. Consider the placement and focus of text and visuals. In general, what draws your eye?
Evaluate. How does the image make you feel? What mood does it create? Is it effective in achieving its goal?”