ABSTRACT
Regardless of the means of communication, understanding occurs only when the receiver knows the code. In the past, pictures commonly showed people something of established cultural importance. Traditionally, picture-making has been used as a means of identifying and classifying (typology) subject matter, a role that many photographers are content in playing. However, problems can arise when something unexpected appears and we have no data or mechanism to deal with it. What is not familiar tends to make us uneasy. Often this discomfort manifests itself in the form of rejection, not only of the work but of the new ideas it represents as well. We need to be conscious that looking at a picture is not the same as looking out a window. Rather, “reading” a picture requires informed analysis that leads to thoughtful decision making, a process that can be successfully taught and learned.
