Photographs & Pictorial Material (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Photographs & Pictorial Material
The command word for photographs is usually describe
This is about observational skills and understanding what is being viewed
When describing look for:
Observation | Description |
|---|---|
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 or 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 and condition |
Settlements | Rural or urban, features of buildings, types of buildings, use of settlements and buildings, spacing between or among buildings - linear, dispersed nucleated |
Housing | Size and storey - bungalow, large, multi-storey, skyscraper etc. number of windows, are there building plots or vacant sites, on the urban fringe or new build etc. |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The command word for photographs is usually describe
This means 'say what you can actually see', not 'what you think'
The 'what and why' usually comes in a later question
You will not gain extra marks for explaining, but lose out on precious time
I am looking at a photograph of a black cat and describe it as having:
Long tail, pointed ears, long whiskers, four paws and black fur
Now I look at a photograph of my pet cat and describe her:
Jess 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. Jess has sharp claws and purrs a lot, even though she has lost a tooth, she can still bite when she is annoyed.
Note the difference? The first describes a cat, the second one describes a cat I know, but the photo wouldn't tell me that the cat has long claws, lost a tooth, bites, purrs or has soft fur.
Always remember to say what you can see in the photograph ONLY
Field Sketches
Should include location/site number, title and compass direction
Includes the key features at a site
Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
Things can be left out of the sketch if they are not relevant to the enquiry | The scale in the sketch may be inaccurate |
Smaller important areas can be more detailed | Important details may be missed |
Gives a broad overview of the features | The sketch may contain inaccuracies which affect the analysis for example more litter than there actually was at the site |
Helps recall of key features |
|
In the exam, sketching and labelling key features from a photographs is sometimes asked
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
Arrow goes 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.
1. Identify the landform in the photograph [1 mark]
2. Sketch and label the key features of this landform [4 marks]
Waterfall and gorge
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