Horizontal or ground photographs

These are photographs that are taken from the ground when the camera is at the same level as object(s) being
photographed.There are two categories of horizontal photographs as described below:
1.

Horizontal close-up photographs

These are categories of horizontal photographs inwhich the camera focuses on a particular object suchas a house. The
object of focus is shown very clearly.On the other hand, objects in the background areobscured, and generally, the
background is not seenclearly.

2.

Horizontal general-view photographs

These are photographs that focus on a wide area of the field. Several objects are clearly shown in these photographs.
Objectsclose to the camera appear larger than those far away from the camera. The area whose objects are obscured
from the camera by those objects close to the camera is called the dead ground.
Oblique photographs
These are types of photographs that are taken from an angle,usually from the top of a hill, tower or cliff. There are
twocategories of oblique photographs as described below:

Horizontal general-view
dead ground
2
Ground oblique photographs
These are taken when the photographer is standing inelevated ground, such as top of a hill, building or cliff, andholds
the camera at an angle pointing towards the lowerground. The photograph can also be taken when the photographer
is standing at the bottom of an elevated ground,with the camera pointing towards the higher ground.
So,whether the photograph is taken from the top or bottom of anelevated ground, the resulting photograph is called
groundoblique photograph. In this kind of photograph, the imagescloser to the camera are larger than those far away.
1.

A
erial oblique photographs
These photographs are taken from the sky with the cameratilted at an angle towards the ground. The photographer
may take the photograph from a helicopter or low-flying aircraft.These photographs cover quite a large area of
land. They are similar in many ways to the ground oblique photographs. Objectsnear the camera appear slightly larger
than those far away.An aerial oblique photograph which does not cover thehorizon is called a low aerial oblique
photograph, while thatwhich includes the horizon is called a high aerial oblique photograph.
Vertical photographs
These photographs are the ones that are taken from the airwith the camera directly above the scenery, pointing
verticallyto the ground. The camera focuses on specific features on theground though the area surrounding those
features is alsoshown
.
Differentiate between ground, vertical and oblique photographs
Ground oblique photograph

Low aerial oblique photograph

High aerial oblique photograph

Vertical aerial photograph
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A photograph has three parts as described below:a.

Background

–
the area farthest from the camera. b.

Foreground

–
the area nearest to the camera.c.

Middle ground

–
the area between the background and the foreground, which is at middle distance from the camera.Each of the three
parts of the photograph can further be sub-divided into three parts to give nine combinations which
formthe nine minor parts of the photograph as shown in the table below:For easy description oflocations on a
photograph, it isappropriate to use thesedivisions. It is inappropriate to
use such terms as ‘top’ or ‘bottom’ when referring to areas or parts of a
photograph. Also, it is not acceptable to use points of the compass such
as ‘
E
ast’, or ‘
N
orth’ unless there is sufficient in
formation to enable one todetermine the compass directions of the photograph.
Reading and Interpreting Photographs
Features Presented on Photographs
The same as reading maps, reading a photograph means studying andidentifying the various objects shown on the
photograph. Interpreting a photograph means examining the objects or a combination of objectsshown on the
photograph for the purpose of judging their significance. Itinvolves translating the information by describing the
features shown inthe photograph. Photograph interpretation involves the following:a)

Determining the title of the photograph. b)

Estimating time and season the photograph was taken.c)

Estimating direction or position of the photographer.d)

Estimating the size of the features.e)

Identifying and interpreting physical features.f)

Identifying and interpreting human activities.g)

Suggesting possible location of the scenery in the photograph.

Determining the title
A suitable title of the photograph can be obtained by studying the photograph carefully. The information obtained in
the photograph determines the choice of the title.Photographs show landscapes, activities on land, water surfaces
or sky or a combination of all of these. The informationcontained in the background, middle ground and foreground
should be carefully studied.
Estimating time and season
If we know where the photograph was taken, it may be possible to tell the time of the day when the photograph was
taken. Ifit was taken in the tropics on a sunny day, long shadows imply that the time of the day was either early
morning or lateafternoon. If the shadows are short, it implies that the time of the day was just before or
afternoon. In the temperate regions, both in the southern and northern hemispheres, the sun never gets
overhead at noon. It remains at an angle. The shadows arealso shortest at noon and point northwards in
the northern hemisphere and southwards in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, based on the knowledge
of the zones of the earth and the movement of the sun, one can tell when the photograph was takenand be
able to determine a part of the hemisphere on which it was taken.We can also draw conclusions about
weather, season or even climate of the area at the time the photograph was taken. A bright clear sky with dry
vegetation may suggest a dry period or season. Thick vegetation, young crops and or flowering plants in
the field and a sky full of cloud cover or rain suggest a rainy season or period. In temperate regions, clear
sunnyconditions with healthy vegetation and flowering plants or plants with fruits indicate a summer season. Plants
with youngleaves, others in bloom and fields full of grass could be an indication of spring season. Foggy
sky with leafless trees andsome snow on the ground is an indication of winter season.The type of clothing worn
by people appearing in the photograph and the nature of houses can be a clue to the prevailingweather or
the type of climate. When people appear to be wearing heavy clothing with faces almost completely covered,
handgloves and heavy boots, it is an indication of cold weather, likely to be winter in temperate regions.
Left

Centre

Right
Left background Centre background Right backgroundLeft middle ground Centre middle ground Right middle grou
ndLeft foreground Centre foreground Right foreground

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When the weather is hot, people wear light clothing, and some may even wear broad-rimmed hats. If people are seen
baskingin the sun by the swimming pool it also indicates a warm sunny, hot weather. When houses appear to have
slanting roofs, itis an indication that the region experiences a lot of precipitation, either rainfall or snow. Slanting roofs
facilitate easy flow ofwater or snow from the roof of the house. Simple houses with flat roofs indicate a region that
experience little precipitationor that is dry in most of the year.Activities going on in the field could also suggest
the type of a season. If people are seen planting crops, it is planting season.The rainy season is either near or it has just
started. If people are seen weeding, it is the growing season for crops and thereis reduced rainfall.If people are
photographed harvesting the crop, it is the harvesting season and is probably dry season because harvestingnormally
takes place during dry season with a few exceptions. The time of the year could also be indicated by a combinationof
phenomena in the photograph.
Estimating direction
This refers to identifying the position of the photographer afterstudying the relative sizes of objects in the
photograph. It is possible to estimate the direction on a photograph using shadows.This is possible if the time
and place where the photograph wastaken are known. For example, if a photograph shows a treewhose shadow is
on the right and it is indicated that it was takenwithin the tropics and in the morning, then the
photographer wasfacing south.
The sun and the shadow are always in the oppositesides of the photograph
. If the sun is in the east, the shadow willalways be cast westwards and vice versa. If the shadow
is pointing towards you and the photograph was taken in theafternoon (meaning that the sun was in the west),
the photographer was facing westwards. With such information, it is then possible to fix compass points
on a photograph.The other alternative for identifying the position of the photographer or cameraman is by observing
the size of objects in the photograph. The objects close to the photographer appear larger those far
away. The objects apparently appear to decrease insize as their distance from the photographer increase.
Therefore, the part of the photograph showing huge objects is the placeclose to where the photographer stood. Study
the photograph below carefully and keenly.
Relief
Before interpretation of other physical features, it is important to first identify relief features on the photograph. Start
bygiving a general idea about the area shown in the photograph. In describing landscape and landforms, it is
important to goeven further and describe the forces and processes that are responsible for their formation and
modification. This is anessential aspect of relief interpretation. Relief features in the photograph may include the
following features:
Flat landscapes
These landscapes occur both in lowland and highland areas.It is impossible to tell the average area of the land
directly from a photograph. However, other features appearing in the photograph, such as part of the sea,
crops and other economic activities may be used in estimating the altitude. Where thereis an accompanying
topographical map of the area, it would then be easier to state the height of the land from the map. Wherethere is no
sufficient information to tell the height of the land, relief may be described as flat. One can then suggest
that it is probably a low-lying plain or a plateau surface. Some flat areas may be described as flat
lowlands or highlands.
Hilly areas
A hilly landscape is shown on photographs as having varied relief of hills and valleys that are not isolated on a flat
landscape.Where hills appear to have the same height across the entire landscape, such a landscape is probably a
dissected plateau.Streams have cut valleys across former flat land and some interlocking spurs may be visible towards
valleys. Ridges,escarpments and conical hills may easily be identified according to their appearance.
Size of images gives a clue on the photographer’s position

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