Body language/facial exp. and gaze
Facial expressions, gestures, stance or position – can convey the attitude, feelings or personality of the individual shown. Take note of the direction of the subject’s eyes.
Colour, Hue, saturation, light& shadow, tone black & white images examine the use of contrast, light and darkness. colour image: colours signify feelings and evoke a response. Red = passion, anger, hell, vitality, etc. blue = peace, harmony or cold
Contrast
The arrangement of opposite elements (light and dark, large and small, rough and smooth) to create interest, excitement or drama.
Framing & Angle
Crane/bird’s eye view shot, close ups, extreme close ups, medium shots, long/high angle shots, tilted up/down shots.
Orientation, Point of view
Relates to framing and angle: is the responder positioned above the image (looking down), below or at eye level?
Positioning
Consider which objects have been placed in the foreground, middle ground or background.
Rule of thirds (composition)
Placement of object not in the direct centre as its static emphasizes the subject's symmetry. Your eye is drawn to it then has nowhere to go from there because the object is equal distance from all sides. Rule of third composition positions subject to an edge where these lines intersect,allowing the eye to follow and find the image, allowing more interative, captivating photo. An object in the top third is usually empowered whereas anything in the bottom third is disempowered. Object in middle line: power point or a crash point
Salience
The part that your eyes are first drawn to in the visual. Colour, image and layout determine what the salient image is.
Symbolism
The use of an image to represent one or more (often complex) ideas.
Vectors
The line that our eyes take when looking at a visual. Composers deliberately direct our reading path through the vectors.
Straight vectors that lead to the top of the frame could make the subject seem powerful or inflexible.
Comic Strip/Image
- Consecutive frames show change/movement
- Caption & font (text that accompanies the comic/image – size and style: bold, italics, size, typeface, underline
Caricature – a drawing that exaggerates the features of its subject, often to parody
Chiaroscuro – the dramatic use of light and dark
Composition – the way things are arranged and placed in the visual text
Colour – this can be symbolic, create contrast, draw attention etc.
Composition
Depth – the distance between the foreground and background
Facial Expression - expression on a character’s face to convey emotion
Focal Lines – same as Vector
Focal Point – where our eyes are drawn to
Focus – the clarity of the image (eg. sharp, blurry etc)
Foreground - the opposite of background, the elements that are at the front of the scene
Frames – this is used in cartoons
Gestures - posturing or movement of the body to express and idea/emotion
Lighting – soft, harsh, backlighting
Logo - symbol of an organisation, company, group, government etc
Manipulation - for example, cutting and pasting a head of someone onto the body of a dog

Allegory
Story with a double meaning: one primary (on the surface) and one secondary.
Alliteration
Repetition of consonants at the start of words or in a sentence or phrase.
Cliché
An over-used, common expression.
Consonance
Repetition of consonants throughout a sentence or phrase.
Contrast
Paradox, antithesis, oxymoron, juxtaposition, contrast in description etc.
Didactic
Any text that instructs the reader or is obviously delivering a moral message.
Disjunction
A conjunction (e.g. ‘but’ or ‘yet’) that dramatically interrupts rhythm of sentence.
Ellipsis
A dramatic pause (…) creates tension or suggests words can’t be spoken.
Emotive language
Words that stir the readers’ emotions.
Enjambment
poetic technique: when a sentence or phrase runs over more than one line (or stanza). This assists the flow of a poem – pace, rhythm.
Euphemism
Mild expression used to replace a harsh one.
Exclamation