Just as we edit text, we also edit graphics. We can subtract information from graphics (for example removing color by transforming a color image into black and white). We can also crop images to highlight key information and remove extraneous information. Often, it is better to use a drawing than a photo because the drawing allows us to have more control over the information presented. People expect photos to be exact representations and get confused if a photo has been altered to highlight key information. Drawings are expected to be abstractions, and thus people are not so surprised when drawings highlight certain information and deemphasize other information. There are also ethical considerations when manipulating photos since photos are expected to be exact replicas of the things they represent.
Take a look at the following three photos of my daughter taken by my wife with a really cheap digital camera. (Actually it is one photo that I have cropped in two different ways.) Is the information carried by each photo the same or is the meaning one can acquire from each photo somehow different?
* NOTE: The quality of the image has deteriorated with editing (this couldn't be helped because the original image was a jpeg).
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2 comments:
This is a really interesting example of how simply cropping an image can affect the viewer's perception of that image. In the first image, your daughter looks to be happier; sitting on the swing and looking off into the distance. In the second she looks a little less happy and you don't know that she's in a park. Taking away the part of the image that has the swing in it greatly affects the mood of the picture. Finally, in the third picture you don't know anything about what's going on. All that is left in the image is her face; she looks the saddest here. The viewer only knows that she's outside in this photo. By cropping this image, the mood of it is altered greatly. Also, the amount of information given changes as the image is cropped more.
I found it extremely interesting that something simply, such as cropping an image, could affect the message that the view interprets. For example, when looking at the three different pictures of your daughter, there are different interpretations in each. In the first picture, it shows your daughter on a swing. By looking at the background one can tell that she is at the playground and that it appears to be a sunny day. In the second picture, there is more emphasis on your daughter. The background is eliminated, causing the viewer to focus on your daughter. She appears to be outside and focused on something outside of the picture. The third picture of your daughter shows a close-up of her face. She appears to be somewhat upset and sad. By having a close up of her face, it allows the audience to pay attention to the facial expressions, along with the ethnicity of your daughter.
Based upon how a picture is cropped can reveal different elements about the picture. It can also change the emotions that the picture is trying to possess, along with the overall message.
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