In your Paper 1 examination you will, almost certainly, be asked to write about visual texts. It is quite likely that many of these visual texts will be photographs. It is quite probable that you will study photographic 'bodies of work' as part of your course of study. Where this is the case, you can choose to speak about these photographs in your Individual Oral (IO) examination. If you are a Higher Level (HL) student, you can also write about photographs for your HL Essay. It follows that it is extremely important for you to understand something about photographs. That is, you should know how photographs work, how they make meaning, and you should have a language for discussing photographs. This page begins to help you understand photographic images, and provides some essential vocabulary for writing and talking about photographs.
Essential Vocabulary
General Vocabulary
Abstract
Abstract: An image emphasising formal elements such as line and shape rather than particular, recognizable objects.
Content
Content: The subject, topic, or information in the image.
Direct Approach
Direct approach: Capturing an image of a scene in a straightforward way without using distortion or unusual angles.
Documentary Photography
Documentary photography: Photographs where the main purpose is to record a place, person(s), or event.
Expressive
Expressive: Photographs intended to communicate emotion.
Geometric Shape
Geometric shape: Simple shapes found in geometry such as circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, and so on.
Intention
Intention: The reason(s) why the photographer made the image.
Landscape
Landscape: A photograph of the natural environment.
Objective
Objective: A point of view that attempts to limit personal bias, considering all information with equal regard and fairness.
Organic Shape
Organic shape: Shapes that are based on objects in nature such as tree, mountains, leaves, and so on.
Representational
Representational: A photograph showing recognisable objects.
Subject
Subject: The main object or person(s) in a photograph.
Theme
Theme: A central or unifying in a body of work or collection of works.
Visual Elements
Focus
Focus: Areas that appear clear and sharp (in contrast to areas that do not).
Line
Line: Objects in photographs can sometimes act as lines. They may be used to establish outline, direction, movement, and energy. Lines can be, for example, straight, curvy, thick, or thin.
Light
Light: Areas of brightness and shadow. Light can be used to suggest time of day. Light may be artificial or natural, harsh or soft, reflected or direct.
Repetition
Repetition: Objects, shapes, lines etc. that repeat and create a pattern.
Shape
Shape: See above – geometric shape and organic shape. When you look at an image, is the geometric or organic dominant?
Space
Space: This is an aspect of an image's composition. Photographs can suggest depth, or they may appear shallow (and you might consider how this is established; sometimes this is created by special illusion). In addition space can be both positive (areas that attract most attention) and negative (the emptier areas).
Texture
Texture: This is about the quality of ‘feel’ in the photograph; if you could touch an image, what would it feel like?
Value
Value: This is a quality of light. In considering an image, you might ask if it suggests a range of tones from light to dark. Where are the lightest and darkest values?
Composition
Angle
Angle: This is the vantage point from where a photograph was taken. It is often used when discussing images taken from an unusual or exaggerated vantage point.
Background
Background: This is the part of an image that seems to be towards the back.
Balance
Balance: This refers to the distribution of visual elements. Symmetrical balance distributes visual elements evenly in an image. Asymmetrical balance distributes visual elements unevenly.
Central Focus
Central focus: This refers to the object(s) that seem most prominently or clearly focused in a photograph
Composition
Composition: This is the arrangement or structuring of formal elements that make up an image.
Contour
Contour: The outline of an object or shape.
Contrast
Contrast: Significant visual differences between light and dark, varying textures, sizes, and so on.
Framing
Framing: What the photographer has placed within the boundaries of the photograph.
Setting
Setting: This is the actual physical surrounding or scenery whether real or artificially constructed.
Vantage Point
Vantage point: The place or position from which the photographer takes a photograph.
All photographs depict settings in Munich and wider Bavaria, Florence, and Gothenburg. Images are the copyright of Tim McIntyre, 2020.
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In your Paper 1 examination you will, almost certainly, be asked to write about visual texts. It is quite likely that many of these visual texts will be photographs. It is quite probable that you will study photographic 'bodies of work' as part of your course of study. Where this is the case, you can choose to speak about these photographs in your Individual Oral (IO) examination. If you are a Higher Level (HL) student, you can also write about photographs for your HL Essay. It follows that it is extremely important for you to understand something about photographs. That is, you should know how photographs work, how they make meaning, and you should have a language for discussing photographs. This page begins to help you understand photographic images, and provides some essential vocabulary for writing and talking about photographs.
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