Aims

• To develop an undrstanding of how visual elements imteract with each other and with text to convey specific messages.

• To develop an awareness of the techniques employed by individuals in the media in order to manipulate photographic material.

Objectives

• Research a range of assembled photographic images from both commercial and noncommercial sources.

• Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the work you are studying and exchange ideas and opinions with other students.

• Develop ideas and produce a study sheet that documents the progress and development of your concepts.

Introduction

When we look at a photograph we read the images as if they were words to see what information they contain. If the photographic image is accompanied by words they can influence our decision as to what the photograph is about or even alter the meaning entirely. The photographer can manipulate the message to some extent by using purely photographic techniques such as framing, cropping, differential focusing etc. This controls which information we can or cannot see. Some artists and photographers have chosen to increase the extent to which they can manipulate the information contained in a photograph by resorting to the use of paint, chemicals, knives, scissors and electronic means to alter what we see. The final result ceases to be a photograph and becomes a 'photomontage'.