part i: intro to visual reflection

Every photo has someone- or in an age in which AI use is growing rapidly- something behind it. I like to think that one of the differences between some photos is that some have thought behind it, while others do not. It’s a difficult way of seperating photos from one another, something that as I’m writing doesn’t really make sense. A photo can simply be a photo of you and your friends together, laughing, that was taken without any thought- and it can still convey a message. But I do believe that the effort behind a photo can take it much farther than just an ordinary image. If you want to convey a message with your photo, the better it looks, the more seriously it will be taken.

At the time of writing this post, I have not had the opportunity to use the twenty tips for better photographs. Thinking back to photos I’ve taken in the past, I do realize that I have used some of them before. For example, I do tend to be picky with the photos I take. I like to make sure everything in it looks good and that there isn’t anything drawing you away from the main subject of the photo. I also like to make sure the lighting works for the image I want to convey. Everything else, though, I do believe I may need to make more of an effort to try them.

I like to think that I am at least a little “visually literate”. This goes hand in hand with the fact that I am already quite picky with my photos. I like to make sure everything makes sense with what I want- if I want my picture to convey panic, an image of a couple of people with a color scheme that is pleasing to the eye isn’t going to make anyone think of panic. I really liked the example used in the video where there was the red sculpture in front of the museum. The figure draws people toward the museum with it’s bright color and fun figure instead of pushing them away, which one might not notice unless they really read into it.

Having an understanding of what people are drawn to and how to convey feeling with a drawing or photo greatly helps bring an effective piece forward. We can see that with the “Migrant Mother” photo that we are able to read the background on. Going back to what I said in the beginning of this reflection, I like to think that AI wouldn’t be able to convey something like it. But who knows what the future has in store. I hope that I will be able to use the tips from the ebook in the future, as well as think about how visually literate I am.