Kodak - Visuals are a Language - The Syntax of Still-Picture Arrangement - Ordered Series

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

Kodak visual literacy material explaining how the structure of ordered series of still pictures supports meaning in the same way that syntax and word order shape verbal communication. It compares different picture arrangements—undirected, directed, chronological, and pseudo-chronological—and discusses relationships between the order of images and the order of words. Includes a visual fable program and discussion guide with references and educator-written materials, plus details about related film and educational motion picture content.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Relationships Between Visual and Verbal Forms of Expression

Kodak Visual Literacy Concepts

Picture Arrangement Types

Filmstrip, Record, and Discussion Guide

New 16mm Motion Picture

1 Kodak Visuals are a Language The Syntax ofStill-PictureArrangement Young students learn to "speak"visually whenthey learn to photograph and arrange their ownseries of still pictures to ereate a visual statement.The basic types of "ordered series shown on thesepages illustrate that the type of arrangement thestucent chooses is as vital to his visual statementas the picture content. We say "ordered series”(rather than "photoessay"or "photo story")beeause we fecl the termproperly emphasizes the structural nature of suchpicture arrangement.This terim also helps describethe parallelism between the struetural forns ofverbal expression and visual expression. Aceording to structural linguistics,the form ofverbal expression creates expeetations of meaningwhich facilitate communication of an idea.Forexample,when you see a subject-predieate arrange-ment like "John hit ......."you expeet that anobject will follow.In an ordered series of pictures,the meaning of the visual statement is similarlyfacilitated by the way in which cach picture in theseries is arranged in relation to the others. Understanding the relationship between the or-cler of the pietures and the order of words can resultin greater understanding of both verbal and visutalstatements. COVER PICTURE A youngster using one of the new Photo.Story Dis·covery Sets from Kodak.See article on page 8. Undirected.A random arrangement of pictures(Anotherexample:pictures of a crowd taken at random.) Directed.An arrangement determined by the photographer,according to an idea he wants to present.The photographer Chronological.An arrangement determined by the chronol-ogy of the event The photographer decides which aspectsof the event he will record;then he records and presentsthem as they occurred. could arrange the photos shown above in any of severalways depending upon his message or purpose. Pseudo-Chronological.A chronological arrangement of piC·tures selected from several pictures taken of similar events.This arrangement allows the photographer to present a se·ries consisting of the "best"pictures to illustrate the pro·gression of a certain event. # RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VISUAL AND VERBAL FORMS OF EXPRESSION | VERBAL
LANGUAGE | Utterance | Paragraph | Chapter,Essay,
Short Story,
Novella | Book,Novel | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | STILL
PiCTURES | Single Picture | Ordered Series
(More than 2
Pictures) | Sequence of
Series | lustrated Program
with Slides,Prints or
Other Pictures
Exhibit
Picture or
Cartoon Book | | MOViES | Movie Shot | Scene | Sequence | Movie | # Filmstrip,Record,andDiscussionGuide Unfold“A Visual Fable” If you believe that visual literacy shouldlbe taught in your school.how do you in-terest others?You can't do it with words.lone.It's easy and exciting to do it withKodak's neu educational aid“A Visualf·able." in this fictional story you will bcconeImoled in the life of Fric Thompson-from his birth to his adult years as a teach-er.T hrough the eyes and ears of Eric,youwill w itness the early developnent of achild's visual vocabutary.You will seehow this vocabulary progresses,usualtywithout much lormal training. "A Visuat Fable"poses many intriguingquestions about visual literacy and visual ‘A VISUAL FABLE'WIWS HONOR On Oct ber 20,1967,the seventh Internat onaland TV Festival t New York awarded a god,s ver,or br onze mecal to each w nner n tencategories !!s East an Kocak Company waspiesented wha gdmedal forA Wisua Fabie"te Ea:ona Filstrip category commnication,but it leaves the ultimateansu ers to you and your associates.Theprogran is an excellent springhoard fordiseussion and action on the part of class-room teachers at all grade levels,curricu-lum committees,administrators,menbersof Boards of Education,educators at thecollege and university level,and interestedmembers of the connunity.The discus-sion guide provides questions relevan

FAQs

What does “ordered series” mean in the material?

It refers to a structured arrangement of more than two still pictures that creates a visual statement, where each picture’s position relative to others supports meaning.

How do undirected and directed arrangements differ?

Undirected arrangements are random selections of pictures, while directed arrangements are determined by the photographer according to a specific idea to present.

What purpose does the discussion guide serve?

It provides questions relevant to the story, focusing on visual communication in general and listing references written by educators to support follow-up activities.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven