Once again we have a photo that lends itself to bringing ideas or metaphors to life.
Susan says, “As you know if you read our blog regularly, we are both proponents of lavish use of visual material in presentations. We also believe that abstract ideas can be explained or discussed more inclusively, provocatively and memorably if you use a visual to bring them to life. These visual expressions of ideas can be particularly helpful to the so-called visual learner to whom words, read or heard, are less meaningful. And there is the memory advantage, too. Your audience will remember a photo far longer than a list of bullet points. Another bonus is that your audience is given a quick mystery to solve when a photo is used to explain an idea. They need to look carefully enough to understand why a particular photo was chose especially if it is not “on the nose”. Lucia’s photo of this old and battered wooden wheel can underscore many topics like difficult travel, like travel mishaps, like the hazards of poor repair work, the cruel effect of the elements on wood and iron or the advantage of a radial tire. And this is an usual, well composed photo, not a the snap shot equivalent of clip art.”
Lucia says, “Although made up of discarded objects, this photo is a powerful depiction of many ideas. Susan has outlined quite a few already. Compare this photo with stock footage or clip art and you’ll know that this is the type of image you’ll want to use to convey your abstract ideas. For a simple photo, it’s pretty dramatic. The colors are subtle and the lighting is fairly flat. But the composition is strong. And if you used this kind of photo in your presentation, it would draw your audience in and make them wonder where you were going to take them next. Then you would have an easier time of communicating your idea. Be picky about the images you use in your presentation. Don’t settle for the mediocre. It’s amazing what you can bring to mind with a strong, captivating image.”
