Common Issues:

The content of the different classes on this case study is, clearly, diverse. In order to attain coherent strands, you are encouraged to keep a number of common issues in mind when approaching any piece of visual evidence. These common issues will be raised in different sessions. The key points are:

• The historical context in which the selected type of image was created;
• The technological, financial, and other opportunities and constraints that the producers of the image were working with;
• The rationale and the purposes of the material;
• The subject matter of the material;
• The viewpoints and devices used to create the image (including such aspects as camera positions, lighting, editing, framing, poses, deliberate deception, and the use of soundtrack and music);
• The audiences for whom the image was created, and how the image was disseminated and received;
• The extent to which we as modern audiences can view historical images in the same way as original audiences.

These are just some suggestions: more issues will arise through classes.