Visual Literacy

Visual Literacy refers to the ability to understand information presented in a graphic or picture. This can refer to your ability to interpret the emotional impact a photograph or read data presented in an infographic. Changes to the SAT are making this sort of literacy a tested variable, and it is a skill that is necessary to communicate effectively in the modern world.

Understanding the emotional meaning of a photograph can often lend more emphasis to a particular reading passage. It can also help you empathize and relate to the artistic expression of another.

• Ask yourself, what is observable? This is the first step to interpreting any picture. What is actually happening in the graphic? Think of the iconic Tiananmen Square photograph – here, what is observable is a man standing alone in front of a line of tanks. At this point we are only concerning ourselves with the literal meaning of the picture. This is like reading a passage strictly for the informational content of the words.
• Ask yourself, what else is similar to this? Are there other situations or settings that this remind you of? Maybe a group of tanks pointed at one man reminds you of a crowd of bullies going after one student in the hallway of your school. Here you’ll start to think outside of the box; this is where we begin to identify figurative meaning.
• Ask yourself, what are my feelings about this picture? Many photographs will stir emotions deep inside you. The Tiananmen Square photograph conjures up feelings of fear and isolation and anxiety.
• Ask yourself, what is the artist’s intention? Now that you have thought of all these emotions and congruent scenarios, start to think: Why would the photographer want me to think those things? Is he trying to drive me to a particular action or thought? Is he exposing injustice? In the Tiananmen Square photograph, the intention was to expose the Chinese government as bullies for what they were doing to protestors.
• Ask yourself, what is the significance of this photograph? Why does it matter? This is the final piece of the puzzle. What meaning does this photograph have to the outside world? What about this is important? The Tiananmen Square photograph showed that not everywhere in the world was safe for personal expression. The significance of the photograph was to rend a hole in the security of the Chinese people.

Hopefully this helps you understand how to read and interpret photographs a little better! Expect to see more of an emphasis on this particular skill in the redesigned SAT.

By: Catherine Martin