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Image Analysis (in field-based research)

INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods. Image Analysis (in field-based research). Outline. The status of images in society Compositional interpretation – some vocabulary Content Analysis of Images Semiotic Analysis. A New Era of Digitally Doctored Images.

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Image Analysis (in field-based research)

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  1. INFO 272. Qualitative Research Methods Image Analysis (in field-based research)

  2. Outline • The status of images in society • Compositional interpretation – some vocabulary • Content Analysis of Images • Semiotic Analysis

  3. A New Era of Digitally Doctored Images Source: http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/evening-standard-crowd.htm

  4. Source: http://www.thememoryhole.org/media/evening-standard-crowd.htm

  5. Compositional Interpretation • content – what is the image of? Religious, historical, literary themes/events • color – hue, saturation, value/brightness • spatial organization – perspective, point of view, eye level • light source

  6. Compositional Interpretation Moving Images • Screen ratio • Screen frame – open or closed • Screen plane • Shot distance • Focus • Angle

  7. Compositional Interpretation Moving Images • Revolving: Pan, Tilt • Tracking, Crane • Zoom Editing • Continuity cut (classic Hollywood) • Jump cuts (MTV)

  8. Content Analysis of Images • Sample documents (can even do a random sample) • Divide documents into units • syntactical vs. semantic elements • Articles, words, sentences, themes, propositions • Construct a coding frame and assign codes to units • Calculate frequencies

  9. Content Analysis of Images Reading National Geographic (Lutz and Collins 1993)

  10. Content Analysis of Images How photos were coded: • World location • Unit of article organization (region, nation-state, ethnic group, other) … • Camera gaze of person photographed • Westerners in photo • Skin color • Dress style (“western” or local) • Male nudity • Female nudity • Technological type present (simple handmade tools, machinery)

  11. Shortcomings of Content Analysis • What exactly do frequencies mean? • Does more often mean more important? What about important omissions? • Good coding schemes need extensive piloting, trial and error • Binary nature of codes

  12. Semiology/Semiotics • Language is relational not referential • Signifier, signified, referent • Furthermore – icon, index, symbol • Studying how signs come together and work as codes • Denotation (a baby, base-level meaning) vs. connotation (higher-level meaning, i.e. innocence)

  13. Semiology/Semiotics Two main research issues: • Analysis of signs in systems of relations through which they get their meaning • How a particular sign system divides up the world (and what are the social implications)

  14. Semiotics: Method • denotational phase, list all elements in the image and any accompanying text • ask what does each element connote? • how do the elements relate to each other? • what cultural knowledges are required in order to read the material? (connection to wider systems of meaning) [source: Bauer and Gaskell]

  15. Semiotics: Example

  16. Shortcomings of Semiotics • Implicit presumption about readers as ‘cultural dupes’ • Elaborate, perhaps overly complex terminology • Lack of concern with surrounding social practices – but see ‘social semiotics’

  17. Summary • Content analysis on large quantities of text/imagery (news media) • Semiotics on persuasive/rhetorical texts/imagery (advertisements) • Semiotics requires substantial cultural knowledge • How do we handle what is notably absent, concealed?

  18. Further Reading Visual Methodologies, Gillian Rose – highly recommended

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