THE CONCEPT OF PHOTOGRAPH
► PHOTOGRAPH: is an image or a picture of an object which is taken by a camera on the earth’s surface.
They can be stored or presented in hard or soft copy.
► PHOTOGRAPHY: is the art or practice of taking and processing photographs.
► Camera: is a basic equipment used in taking photograph and develops it on a special sheet of paper known as a film.
► Photograph reading: refers to the simple recognition of both man-made and natural objects in a photograph.
► Photograph interpretation: is the process of examining photograph or image to identify objects and assess/judge their significance.
► Sometimes photograph can be taken by a satellite or a radar to produce a satellite images.
IMPORTANCES/USES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
a. Photographs show real feature of the Earth, thus provide a good visual impression for observation.
b. They are a source of information of a remote (far) place. Example information about the bottom of the sea, beyond the moon, farming, mining, lumbering, and historical events like floods, wars.
c. They are used for planning and tracking environmental changes overtime.
d. They are used to prepare maps, especially aerial photographs.
e. Photographs replace the great deal of verbal description, thus saving time.
f. They provide quick and instant information than maps.
g. They are used to identify the weather of a place. E.g. types of clothes worn help to know if it is warm or cold.
h. Used by the anthropologists and sociologists to identify the patterns of human behavior.
Comparisons between Photographs and Maps
i. Both uses scales
ii. They are both used in military techniques
iii. Both are important in learning geography, i.e. in field works or field studies.
iv. Both show the physical and relief features on Earth.
v. Both are used in planning and management activities such as in agriculture, engineering, construction and military.
vi. Both are used to record data, and they are printed on a piece of paper.
vii. Both are conventional, that is, they represent the three dimensional world on the flat surface.
Differences between maps and photographs
1. Maps are selective, while photographs print everything in the point of view.
2. Maps have uniform scale, while the scale of a photograph decreases from foreground to background.
3. Maps have keys, while photographs have not.
4. Map use symbols and signs, while photographs show all features clearly (use real shape).
5. Maps are expensive and take much time to make, while photograph are less expensive and fast.
6. Maps have titles while photographs do not have titles.
7. It is easy to calculate area and distance on maps while it is not easy in photographs
8. Map making cannot be affected by weather because it is prepared in a special room, while photograph taking can be affected by weather.
9. Maps need enough knowledge to produce while photographs do not demand enough knowledge.
TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Essentially, there are three types of photographs, basing on the position of the photographer and alignment of the principle axis of a camera.
a) Ground/horizontal photographs
b) Oblique photographs
c) Vertical/aerial photographs
Ground/horizontal photographs
These are photographs that are taken on ground level whereby the camera and the object are at the same level.
They are taken when the camera axis is horizontal to the object. These types of photographs usually focus object in front the camera. They are of two types;
1. CLOSE-UP HORIZONTAL PHOTOGRAPH
This is a particular view photograph which focuses on one specific object that needs to be interpreted.
Its characteristics
The camera focuses on a particular object such as a person, tree, an animal or a house.
The object of focus is shown quite clearly.
They show one side of the features.
Objects in the background are obscured.
Example of the ground close-ups photograph
2. PANORAMA GROUND GENERAL VIEW PHOTOGRAPHS
These are general view photographs which show many items on an extensive landscape. They show one side of the features, with a very wide horizon in the background.
Panorama photograph is also defined as the art of taking a number of pictures from the same viewpoint and combining or stitching them to make one image covering a wide view.
Its characteristics
These focus on a wide area of the field.
It shows many items or landscapes.
Objects close to the camera appear larger than those far away from the camera.
Example of ground general view;
DEAD GROUND: refers to the part in the photograph that has been obscured/hidden from the camera by those objects close to the camera.
HORIZON: is the visual boundary at which the skyline intersects with a flat surface of the earth like the ocean.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUND PHOTOGRAPHS
1. They are taken horizontally approximately at 180º on the ground.
2. They show only the fore (front) view of the object.
They cover small area.
4. The cameraman and the object are on the same level.
5. They include horizon (atmosphere) and the dead ground.
6. The scale of the photographs decreases from the fore ground to the background.
7. They have three (3) parts, which are; fore part, middle part and back or dead ground.
8. Objects which are closer to the camera appear larger than the objects that are farther from the camera.
B. Oblique photographs
The word “OBLIQUE” means sloping or slanting at an angle (i.e. neither parallel nor at right angle).
Therefore, these are photographs taken from an elevated angle less than 90º.
TYPES OF OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS
I. LOW OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAPH (ground oblique)
It is the type of oblique photograph which is taken at low elevated angle less than 60º.
Normally, it is taken on a hill, house, roof, trees, cliff, stones, low elevated aircraft or holds a camera with its principle axis at a low elevated angle of less than 60°.
Its characteristics
a. It covers small area.
b. It is divided into three main parts, fore view, middle view and back view.
c. Objects at the fore ground are large and seen clearly.
d. It has no horizon.
e. Objects decrease in size from the foreground outward.
f. It shows three-dimension view, that is top view, side view and front view.
g. Features are seen very well in size, as well as the hidden features on the ground, example car’s tires.
Examples of low oblique photographs
► PHOTOGRAPH: is an image or a picture of an object which is taken by a camera on the earth’s surface.
They can be stored or presented in hard or soft copy.
► PHOTOGRAPHY: is the art or practice of taking and processing photographs.
► Camera: is a basic equipment used in taking photograph and develops it on a special sheet of paper known as a film.
► Photograph reading: refers to the simple recognition of both man-made and natural objects in a photograph.
► Photograph interpretation: is the process of examining photograph or image to identify objects and assess/judge their significance.
► Sometimes photograph can be taken by a satellite or a radar to produce a satellite images.
IMPORTANCES/USES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
a. Photographs show real feature of the Earth, thus provide a good visual impression for observation.
b. They are a source of information of a remote (far) place. Example information about the bottom of the sea, beyond the moon, farming, mining, lumbering, and historical events like floods, wars.
c. They are used for planning and tracking environmental changes overtime.
d. They are used to prepare maps, especially aerial photographs.
e. Photographs replace the great deal of verbal description, thus saving time.
f. They provide quick and instant information than maps.
g. They are used to identify the weather of a place. E.g. types of clothes worn help to know if it is warm or cold.
h. Used by the anthropologists and sociologists to identify the patterns of human behavior.
Comparisons between Photographs and Maps
i. Both uses scales
ii. They are both used in military techniques
iii. Both are important in learning geography, i.e. in field works or field studies.
iv. Both show the physical and relief features on Earth.
v. Both are used in planning and management activities such as in agriculture, engineering, construction and military.
vi. Both are used to record data, and they are printed on a piece of paper.
vii. Both are conventional, that is, they represent the three dimensional world on the flat surface.
Differences between maps and photographs
1. Maps are selective, while photographs print everything in the point of view.
2. Maps have uniform scale, while the scale of a photograph decreases from foreground to background.
3. Maps have keys, while photographs have not.
4. Map use symbols and signs, while photographs show all features clearly (use real shape).
5. Maps are expensive and take much time to make, while photograph are less expensive and fast.
6. Maps have titles while photographs do not have titles.
7. It is easy to calculate area and distance on maps while it is not easy in photographs
8. Map making cannot be affected by weather because it is prepared in a special room, while photograph taking can be affected by weather.
9. Maps need enough knowledge to produce while photographs do not demand enough knowledge.
TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Essentially, there are three types of photographs, basing on the position of the photographer and alignment of the principle axis of a camera.
a) Ground/horizontal photographs
b) Oblique photographs
c) Vertical/aerial photographs
Ground/horizontal photographs
These are photographs that are taken on ground level whereby the camera and the object are at the same level.
They are taken when the camera axis is horizontal to the object. These types of photographs usually focus object in front the camera. They are of two types;
1. CLOSE-UP HORIZONTAL PHOTOGRAPH
This is a particular view photograph which focuses on one specific object that needs to be interpreted.
Its characteristics
The camera focuses on a particular object such as a person, tree, an animal or a house.
The object of focus is shown quite clearly.
They show one side of the features.
Objects in the background are obscured.
Example of the ground close-ups photograph
2. PANORAMA GROUND GENERAL VIEW PHOTOGRAPHS
These are general view photographs which show many items on an extensive landscape. They show one side of the features, with a very wide horizon in the background.
Panorama photograph is also defined as the art of taking a number of pictures from the same viewpoint and combining or stitching them to make one image covering a wide view.
Its characteristics
These focus on a wide area of the field.
It shows many items or landscapes.
Objects close to the camera appear larger than those far away from the camera.
Example of ground general view;
DEAD GROUND: refers to the part in the photograph that has been obscured/hidden from the camera by those objects close to the camera.
HORIZON: is the visual boundary at which the skyline intersects with a flat surface of the earth like the ocean.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUND PHOTOGRAPHS
1. They are taken horizontally approximately at 180º on the ground.
2. They show only the fore (front) view of the object.
They cover small area.
4. The cameraman and the object are on the same level.
5. They include horizon (atmosphere) and the dead ground.
6. The scale of the photographs decreases from the fore ground to the background.
7. They have three (3) parts, which are; fore part, middle part and back or dead ground.
8. Objects which are closer to the camera appear larger than the objects that are farther from the camera.
B. Oblique photographs
The word “OBLIQUE” means sloping or slanting at an angle (i.e. neither parallel nor at right angle).
Therefore, these are photographs taken from an elevated angle less than 90º.
TYPES OF OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS
I. LOW OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAPH (ground oblique)
It is the type of oblique photograph which is taken at low elevated angle less than 60º.
Normally, it is taken on a hill, house, roof, trees, cliff, stones, low elevated aircraft or holds a camera with its principle axis at a low elevated angle of less than 60°.
Its characteristics
a. It covers small area.
b. It is divided into three main parts, fore view, middle view and back view.
c. Objects at the fore ground are large and seen clearly.
d. It has no horizon.
e. Objects decrease in size from the foreground outward.
f. It shows three-dimension view, that is top view, side view and front view.
g. Features are seen very well in size, as well as the hidden features on the ground, example car’s tires.
Examples of low oblique photographs