Photographs & Images Tutorial
"A picture is worth a thousand words." Often times a visual representation of an event can yield information that books, articles, letters, and other textual descriptions cannot capture. Photographs can be used to prove a theory, to disprove it, or to contradict a stereotype. The most valuable aspect of a photograph is that it is a moment in time captured on paper with very little, if any, interpretation by a third party. Unless a photograph has been altered, it can be considered a primary source.
Researching
Archives typically have large photograph collections from various time periods concerning a variety of topics. Each archive has its own set of policies and procedures, so be sure to check with the institution before assuming there is access to the material. Remember the following when researching photographs:
- Locate an archive that has a collection of photographs pertaining to your topic. The photographs can typically be found at institutions near the place where the event took place, but not always. State and national archives may hold collections. Most archives and libraries have a web site where you can search their collection and find contact information and directions.
- Locate the photograph using the archive's index and take the call number to the clerk who will retrieve it for you.
- Evaluate the photograph to make sure it pertains to the topic you are researching. If you are looking for images of labor union strikes in Youngstown, Ohio, then be sure that the photo is of a strike that happened at a factory in Youngstown and not simply a photo of a strike in general.
- Be sure to find documentation proving the place, date, and persons involved. Do not assume something is an event because it looks to be so. Older photographs may have this information incorporated into the image or written on the back; if there is no information written on the photo then ask the clerk if there is a file for the collection -- do not write information on the photograph yourself.
- Make a photocopy of the image (prices may vary) and record the name of the institution that houses it and the collection number.
- After you have finished documenting and copying the photograph return it to the clerk in the same condition you received it in.
Interpreting Photographs
While photographs may present a wealth of information, they can also be difficult to read, especially if there is no supporting documentation to explain or identify the people or event captured in the image. There are many clues that can help you read a photograph, including:
- Turn the photograph over! People often record basic information including names, dates and locations on the reverse side of photographs.
- Look at the hair and fashion styles of the people in the photo. You can typically compare them with advertisements in old newspapers, magazines, and catalogs to get an approximate date.
- Look for physical landmarks in the photograph. Unusual buildings, natural features, and signs can give clues to the place and date of a photograph. Signs for businesses can be looked up in city directories available at historical societies and archives. Buildings can be found in other photographs with more documentation.
- Record if the event is a special occasion. Most photographs were taken of people and special events, identifying the event can help date the photo. For example, a wedding announcement may have been placed in a local paper.
- Look for obvious characteristics. Does something in the image stand out? What is it? Dominant features are typically, though not always, the primary subject of the photograph and therefore have a significant meaning. The challenge is in interpreting what the meaning is.
- Look for supplementary information in books, articles, letters, journals, and other primary sources that support the photograph.
Exercise
Using the photograph below, try to identify what is happening, when, and to whom or by whom. Consider the following:
- What kind of photograph is it? Is it color or black & white?
- Who is in the photograph? If you cannot identify the people by name, then note the number of men and the number of women: look for physical characteristics that identify ethnicity or race of the people.
- What are the people wearing? Is there a trend in their dress?
- Where are these people? You may not be able to identify the city or state, but it is possible to identify the type of room or building they are in.
- Are the people posing or caught in an action?
- Is anyone holding or carrying an object that may tell something about the event?
- Look at the surrounding environment; is there anything unusual or reoccurring? What could this tell you?
Follow the link under Resources and use the worksheet to help you dissect the photograph. What information presented in the photo do you find historically significant?
Resources
- Photograph Analysis Worksheet
- OhioPix
- Ohio Memory
- Mapping Ethnic Neighborhoods Lesson
- American Labor Movement Lesson
