How to comment on a picture ?

SECTION EUROPEENNE
How to comment on a picture ?
Step n°1 – Identifying the picture
In order to identify the picture correctly, you must determine when it was made, by
who, why it was made for and you must be able to tell its exact nature by looking at
the following list:
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Cartoon
Drawing
Printing
Frescoe
Painting
Engraving
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Photograph/snapshot
Satellite picture
Poster
Caricature
Strip cartoon
Advert
Step n°2- Describe the picture
You will need specific vocabulary to be able to locate accurately and depict correctly
a picture, here are some useful terms to do so:
 To locate something in the picture
In the top left-hand corner
On the left
In the bottom left-hand corner
In the top part of the picture
In the top right-hand corner
In the centre of the picture
On the right
in the bottom part of the picture
In the bottom right-hand corner
 Point of view
In the foreground : Au premier plan
In the background: A l’arrière-plan
In the middle distance: Au second plan
Out of shot: hors-champ
To the right of: A la droite de…
Nearest objects/farthest objects: les objets les
plus proches/les plus éloigéns
Seen from above/from below: vu par en
haut/par en bas
Three quarter view: vue de trois-quarts
 Colours
Cool colours :couleurs froides
Deep colours : couleurs soutenues
Bright colours : couleurs vives
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Soft colours : couleurs douces
Light/dark colours : couleurs claires/sombres
SECTION EUROPEENNE
 Light
Light/dark :Clair/sombre
Bright/Dim :Brillant/faiblement éclairé
Highlights :Les points les plus lumineux
Shadows : Les ombres
Contrasts
Chiaroscuro :Clair-obscur
Backlighting :Eclairage par l’arrière
Glow : Lueur
 Lines
Horizontal/vertical lines
Straight/curved line: lignes droites/courbes
The lines converge into a single point :
Vanishing point: Point de fuite
At the intersection of the diagonals:
Receding lines: Lignes de fuite
 Composition
Horizontal/vertical lines
Straight/curved line: lignes droites/courbes
The lines converge into a single point :
Vanishing point: Point de fuite
At the intersection of the diagonals:
Receding lines: Lignes de fuite
Example:
Stalingrad, 1942
Example : This black-and-white photograph was shot during the battle of Stalingrad
in 1942. In the foreground, on the left, we can see a German soldier holding a
machinegun. Other soldiers are visible in the middle distance, one on the left-hand
side and another in the centre of the picture. In the background, we can notice ruins.
Step n°3 –Explaining
When the description is completed, you might move on to the explanations and try to
relate the elements of your description with your own knowledge or your course.
Helpful vocabulary
The picture conveys…
The viewer feels that…
Etc…
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The picture presents information on…
The picture reminds us of…