Visual Literacy

Many people can’t tell when photos are fake. Sophie Nightingale - researches cognitive psychology at University of Warwick designed test taken by 700 men and women participants could tell a photo was fake only 60% of the time only 45% could pinpoint what had been changed https://www.washingtonpost.com/can-you-tell-fake-news-when-you-see- it/54143932-efb7-46de-af6b-f92108a329dc_quiz.html?utm_term=.eea1fee271aa

Why care? “Photos are incredibly powerful. They influence how we see the world. They can even influence our memory of things. If we can’t tell the fake ones from the real ones, the fakes are going to be powerful, too.” - Sophie Nightingale

Paris, France 2015 terrorism attacks killed 130 people Canadian man falsely accused of being one of the attackers after a photo went viral, doctored to make him look like he was wearing a suicide bomb vest a newspaper published the picture on its front page

Seattle, Washington 2017 photo shows Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett enthusiastically burning the flag photo made its way across Facebook and Twitter

Stop and Think our brains have trouble with the concept that what we’re seeing may not be real, especially photographs makes it easier to fall for a fake even when there are a few common sense signs, particularly if the image seems to confirm our own biases or beliefs need to question the photo even when nothing immediately jumps out at you as being off; take a critical look at it SENSATIONAL TOPICS ARE A BIG RED FLAG!!!

Can Historical Photos Be Fake?

How do I know if my photos are from the right time period? look at the source where you got the photograph from look for the things in the photograph that could be checked in reference sources to help identify a place or time period examples: signs, calendars, license plates, street signs, theater marquees, building styles, clothing styles, equipment styles, furniture styles, transportation systems, etc. look for things that are missing in the photograph examples: absence of things such as cars or telephone poles; can help date photographs to the years before such things were available in a particular place

America in the 1920s?

America in the 1930s?

What time period are these photos?

Don’t believe everything you see . . . 