- 1). Examine a visual image and begin by noticing how the image is framed or composed. For example, a close-up image of a skier has a different intention than an image that frames the skier against a massive mountain range. The first image is intimate and is meant to create identification with the viewer. The second is panoramic and may be intended to show how small a person is when measured against nature.
- 2). Take note of the image's context, by evaluating the location or setting of the image. For example, if you view a university brochure that features an image of a uniformed athlete studying in a quiet library, ask yourself how the athlete's placement in the library affects your interpretation of the image. Clearly, the image is meant to evoke the notion that the school breeds students as well as athletes, thereby attracting students who fit into both categories.
- 3). Determine the purpose of the image, which will be defined in large part by the format. For example, college brochures are meant to attract and inspire students through positive, pleasant images, whereas an advertisement for lingerie is meant to attract buyers through the use of sexy, daring images that allude to sex and romance. Knowing the purpose of an image lets you examine how effective the images are in accomplishing that goal.
- 4). Note the visual tools the image uses. For example, images that use black-and-white may connote starkness or a stripped-down feeling. Bright or bold colors often evoke laughter, joy and creativity. If an image features a person in black-and-white standing next to a person in color, a contrast is immediately made between the two people, which forces you to regard the figures differently, even if no other contrasts are present. Font size also tells a story in an image. Large, bold fonts capture your attention and draw your eyes to words that accompany the images.
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