How to read a historical photograph.

Follow these four simple steps to conduct a reading of your photograph.

  • 1. What type of photo is this?

    Portrait: Team, Individual, Family, Workplace, Wedding, School, Achievement, Fashion, Promotion, Relationships

    Event: Action, Protest, Victory, Parade, Tragedy, Grief, Sports, Commemoration,

    Editorial: Documentary, Journalistic, Eyewitness, Newspaper.

    Architectural: Streetscape, Landscape, Building, Home, Workplace, Office.

    Commercial: Products, Advertising, Office Premises, New Innovation.

    Family: Informal, Event, Holiday, Wedding, Multi-generations, Mother and Child, Relationships

  • 2. Observe each part.

    What was the first thing you noticed in the photo?

    What people can you see ?

    What is each person doing?

    List every object you can see.

    What activities are happening?

    Who has the most power in this photo? Why do you say that?

  • 3. Try to make sense of it.

    Who took it? What clues do you have for what type of person took this photo? What

    Where is it? Look carefully for where the photo is taken. Outside. Inside. In a studio. At a workplace. In a disaster. During a riot.

    When was it taken? Clothes, styles, symbols, body language, people, buildings, products, cars. All can be clues used to date a photograph.

    How was it taken? Quickly. Carefully. Point and Shoot. In the moment. Artfully. Composed. Carelessly.

    Who do you think this image was for?

  • 4. Historical Evidence

    What was happening in Aotearoa NZ at the time this photo was taken ?

    What was happening in the world at the time this photo was taken?

    What did you find out from this image that you might not have been able to learn anywhere else?

    What other documents or historical evidence do you need to help you learn more?