Ground level photographs

Introduction

Ground level photographs are a type of photograph used by geographers. This chapter explains what a ground level photograph is and how it differs from other types of photographs. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a ground level photograph and outlines how to record and interpret ground level photographs.

What are ground level photographs?

Ground level photographs are, as the name suggests, taken from a ground level perspective. They record exactly what a person would see if they were standing in the place of the photographer. Ground level photographs are said to give a horizontal view.

In geography, ground level photographs are used when conducting a detailed study of people and places in the world. Geographers are likely to use a ground level photograph when they are studying a particular part of an area, rather than analysing spatial distribution and patterns over the whole area.

Advantages and disadvantages

Ground level photographs are useful because they show the landscape in great detail. They are also less expensive and easier to produce than oblique and aerial photographs, since ground level photographs do not require the use of any aircraft.

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The main disadvantage of a ground level photograph is that it does not show the whole area. A person's view is often obstructed by tall trees, houses and hills. As with an oblique photograph, scale also diminishes from the foreground to the background.

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Recording and interpreting

A useful way to keep a record of findings is by writing them down. It is often a good idea to organise observations into the categories of:

Physical features

1. relief: cliffs, mountains, valleys, glaciers
2. vegetation: forests, meadows, woodlands
3. climate: tropical, arid, temperate, polar
4. soil: texture, colour, structure
5. animals: native, introduced species

Cultural features

1. settlement: cities, towns, villages
2. transport: train tracks, highways, airports
3. population: number, density, age, gender
4. landuse: crops, grazing, housing, industry

When interpreting a photograph, students need to infer (use factual knowledge to decide) what might be happening and the possible reasons for it. Some examples of questions which students should ask themselves include:

1. What is happening in the photograph?
2. What is the reason for this?
3. What are the consequences of this?
4. What do the features tell us about the people or place?
5. What is the most prominent part of the photograph and why?
6. Is it likely that this feature has changed over time? Why or why not?
7. How do these features affect one another

See image 3