Photographs & Pictorial Material (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Photographs & Pictorial Material
Photographs
The command word for photographs is usually 'describe'
This is about observational skills and understanding about what is being viewed
When describing, look for:
Physical features: vegetation, climate, relief, drainage, distinct features (cliff, river, desert, landslide, etc.), rocky outcrops, etc.
Human features: grouping of buildings: offices, homes, factories, etc. Urban, rural or fringe settlements. Industry and transport; developed or developing areas and general condition of features: busy, quiet, modern, old, etc.
Relief: height and shape of ground surface, named features, overall appearance
Agriculture: animals—type and spread; vegetation type—grass, barren, sparse, etc. Land type: arable or pasture, ploughed or fallow, crops or harvested, etc. Types of farm buildings and machinery along with their condition
Settlements: rural or urban, features of buildings, types of buildings, use of settlements and buildings, spacing between or among buildings—linear, dispersed, nucleated, etc.
Housing: size and storey: bungalow, large, multistorey, skyscraper, etc. number of windows, are there building plots or vacant sites on the urban fringe or new builds, etc.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When the exam question asks you to describe, it is asking you to 'say what you can actually see', not 'what you think you see'
The 'what and why' usually comes in a later question
You will not gain extra marks for explaining, but you will lose out on precious time
Example
There is a photograph of a black cat and I describe it as:
The cat has black fur with a little bit of white on her tummy. Her fur is soft, and she has long whiskers and a stubby tail. She has sharp claws and purrs a lot; even though she has lost a tooth, she can still bite when she is annoyed.
How do I know all this? The photo wouldn't tell me that the cat is female, has long claws, lost a tooth, bites, purrs or has soft fur.
Always remember to say what you can only see in the photograph
Field sketches
Field sketches should include:
title
location/site number
compass direction
key features found at a site
Strengths | Limitations |
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Examiner Tips and Tricks
In the exam, you can be asked to sketch and label key features from a photograph. Total accuracy or artistic prowess is not assessed; however, important features such as rivers, coastlines, hills, etc. must be identified.
Follow the geographical rules for sketching:
Draw a box to frame the sketch
Always draw in pencil
Use colour to highlight a feature
Use a ruler for straight lines and arrows
The arrows always go to the feature, not the label
Never cross arrow lines
Write horizontally to the arrow in pen
Worked Example
The photograph below shows a feature of a river in its upper course.
Identify the landform in the photograph [1 mark]
Sketch and label the key features of this landform [4 marks]
Answer
Waterfall and gorge [1 mark].
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