Guidelines for Analyzing Images -- OPTIC Elements

          Authors frequently use photos and video to make claims, bolster their credibility, and appeal to the audience's emotions.  Consequently, it is important to learn to become a critical viewer of these images, just as we must become critical readers of the arguments we see.

          Humans take in a great deal of information from their environment simply by looking around and drawing conclusions from what they see.  This process is so natural and fundamental to human behavior that advertisers, political campaigns, and many others have made a close study of how we assess images around us; they then use this information to carefully craft photos and video that are most likely to appeal to the audience. 

Overview:  Conduct a brief overview of the image.  Things that “jump out” at the reader are there for a purpose.  Graphic artists make sure their layouts draw the viewers’ attention to the most important, appealing, or message-dense elements of the image.

Parts:  What different elements are included in the image?  Break it down.  Everything in the image is there for a purpose. I’m going to give a long list of ideas here to show how detailed your consideration should be. However, some all, or none of these elements might be included in the image you’re considering. Just keep in mind that you’re looking for the details that were included to appeal to the viewer.

If you have an image of people doing something – Who are the people?  Age?  Ethnicity? Dress?

Body Type?  Relationship?  Physical proximity? Facial expression?  Where are they looking? Do they seem to be speaking? Posture?  Position in the image?  

What is the setting?  What are people doing?  What is going on in the background – especially if there are other people?  How many?

What time is it?  Season?  Weather?  Inside or not?  Terrain?  

Is there a product?  How is it portrayed?  Used?  Relationship to people?  Is it symbolic of something else? Active or passive?  Life size or not?

Other objects?  What is their relationship to the idea, argument or product?

In other words, what elements of the image seem significant? Why?

Text:  How much is there?  Does it make claims?  What is its purpose?  What kind of language/diction is used?  Does it use ethos, pathos, logos or all?

Interrelationships:  What are the relationships between the components of the image?  What has priority?  As the eye scans the image, what is seen first, second, third?  Are some things left out?  What are the relationships between the people in the image, and what “story” does this tell?  

Conclusion:  Why is this image appealing to the reader?  What message / thesis is intended?  What is the audience? Where would you expect to see it? What explicit information is intended to get your support?  What implicit information is intended to get your support?