A guide for comparing photographs (AO1)

Before you start writing:

Look carefully at both images.
Make a quick thumbnail sketch of each photograph (1-2 minutes only). Use this to help you look.
Write down a few words capturing your first impressions in the margins around each image.

Now use the prompts below to help you begin to compare the photographs. You dont need to
respond to all of them but begin by describing what you can see, then move onto more complex
observations and analysis.

Describe them.
What do you see in these photographs?
What series of adjectives (describing words) would you use to describe the special qualities of
these photographs?
What things do you recognise in these photographs? What things seem new to you?

Understand them.
What equipment, techniques and processes have been used to make the image? How do these
affect the way we view them?
Do these photographs remind you of others that you have seen?
How would you describe the lines in these pictures? The shapes? The colours/tones? The
textures and patterns?
How has the photographer captured the play of light in these image?
How are these pictures different from real life, the way we see things with our eyes?
Are these naturalistic or abstract images? Remember, all photographs are abstractions but some
are more abstract than others.
What interests you most about these photographs?

Analyse them.
How is space represented in these photographs?
Which parts of the photographs strike you as most interesting? Why?
What questions would you ask the photographers/artists about their work, if they were here?
What can you discover about these images and the work of these artists/photographers through
research? How does this new knowledge affect your understanding of their work?

Interpret them.
What titles would you give to these photograph? What made you decide on these titles? What
other titles could we give them?
What do you think these photographs are about? How did you come up these ideas?
Pretend you are inside these photographs. How does it feel?
Why do you suppose the photographers/artists made these photographs? What makes you think
that?
What do you think it would be like to live in these photographs? What makes you think that?

Evaluate them.
What do you think is effective about each of these photographs? What doesnt work so well?
What do you think other people would say about these images? Why do you think that?
What do you think is worth remembering about these photographs?
What ideas/approaches could you take from exploring these images? How have you been
influenced by them?
What have you learned from exploring these photographs?