Visual Rhetoric
By: Katie Davis
http://www.texascolla
borative.org/Boercker
Module/resources.php
Author:
Laura Boercker
(2007)
Audience:
• Who is the audience?
• I think that the author
is trying to persuade
the animal lovers to
help the cause to stop
animal cruelty. Also
this might affect the
people who are being
cruel to their animals.
Subject Matter:
• What is the main
subject of the photo?
• The treatment and
cruelty of animals. If
people do not take
care of their animals
and help the cause
then this could happen
more often.
Continued..
• What’s going on in the
photograph? And what
evidence is there for
it?
• An abused and
mistreated dog is
laying dead on the
floor. The evidence is
the pool of blood that
is surrounding it.
Continued..
• Why do you think that
the author chose to
write words on the
picture? What affect
does this have?
• I think it bring out the
point even further by
reinforcing the main
idea.
Visual Elements:
• Does the light seem
natural or artificial? Why
do you think the
photographer did this?
• I think the light is artificial
so that the light would
capture the blood on the
floor and so that it darken
the background so the
viewer wouldn’t lose
attention.
Focus:
• Are some parts of the
picture out of focus?
• I think that there are some
areas out of focus. For
example: The foreground
is the only thing we can
see. I think the author did
this so that the viewer
wouldn’t get distracted by
the background. And
focus on the main idea.
Framing:
• What has the
photographer left out
of the image? Why?
• The dogs head and
face. I think the author
did this so that it
would make the
viewer focus more on
the main point and not
the one dog itself.
Contrast:
• Is there any visual
contrasts?
• Yes, the image is dark
besides the two main
subjects. The white
dog provides a
contrast and the color
of the blood stands
out.
Logos:
• What does the photo
make you think about?
• It makes me think
about the extremes
some pet owners will
go to. It appeals to the
logic of the viewer by
making them decide to
help the cause and
support PETA.
Ethos:
• Does the photograph
come from a reliable
source?
• Yes, PETA does many
advertisements around
the world. They are a
well know
organization and a
trustworthy source.
Pathos:
• How does the image make
you feel?
• The image makes me feel
disappointed and sad at
first. Then I feel anger by
the way the author set up
the picture showing
graphic images that make
you upset on purpose.
Bibliography:
• http://www.texascollaborative.org/Boercker
Module/PETA-Ad.jpg
• Dog Advertisement. PETA (People For The
Ethical Treatment of Animals). July 2007.
Web. 20 Sept. 2010.