ASPH1300: Intro to Photography: Visual Literacy

Visual Literacy - in a nutshell

Visual literacy (verb): an act of finding, evaluating, understanding, describing, criticizing, using, citing and creating images and other visual media.

In this class we are going to focus on visual literacy from the lens of photographic images. We'll engage with all of the above, except creating images.

Finding Images

Why not just search in Google Images for an image?

Great question! The quality of images differs widely. If you want to make sure you are viewing an image as the photographer intended, it's usually best to view the image in print or online through a trusted source. 

Another reason is copyright. You'll often find images that don't cite the source or come from a generic website that doesn't hold the copyright. Even if you are using an image within fair use, you always want to make sure you are obtaining the image from a trusted source.

Finding a print book in the library

Once you've identified a book that looks promising, pay attention to the following four location elements -

1. Is it available?
2. Which SMU Library is it located?
3. Is it in the general collection, Oversize, Reference, Limited Access, Periodicals, etc.? Ask library staff if you don't know where to find a location in the library.
4. What is the call number? This is the address of the book, noting where you can find it exactly on the shelf. Break it up in chunks as you look for it on the shelves
   1. TR (the first letter string tells you the floor and general section of where to find your item)
   2. 679 (the first number string tells you within the TRs where to narrow your location down; go chronologically)
   3. .N (the second letter tells you where to further narrow your location down within the TR679s)
   4. 468 (the second number string is read as a decimal number and can be a lil tricky; in this case look for .4, then .46, then .468)
   5. 2019 (the pub year help differentiate between different editions, different exhibition years, etc.)

Also feel free to just go down to the basement to browse books on the shelf - Look for the TRs! For more information on finding books and reading call numbers see the research guide below.