How to Use Photographs in Teaching History

• Step 1

  Select authentic historic photographs that satisfy basic standards of composition. Confirming the authenticity of a historic photograph is not always easy. For example, Lincoln scholars debate as to whether or not a blurry image from the scene of the Battle of Gettysburg actually portrays the President arriving on horseback to deliver his famous speech. If possible, permit students to view historical images wherein subjects are sharply focused and elements of the picture are arranged to produce visually stimulating composition.

• Step 2

  Utilize decorative posters and website wallpaper to promote an interest in history. One of the chief methods by which students become acquainted with historical images is through subconscious exposure. A photograph of soldiers planting an American flag at Iwo Jima may serve to make an instructor's World War II lecture more effective. Similarly, the iconic photograph of Einstein sticking out his tongue may be hung on the wall of an Introductory Physics classroom to add a dash of humor to the study of relativity theory.

• Step 3

  Compare and contrast photographs from the past with recent photos. Time changes the way we view our world. Buildings are constructed and demolished within the span of decades, drastically altering local landscapes. By viewing images from the past alongside of recent photos, students are able to collapse decades and centuries at will. Google Earth, a free application offered by Google, allows students to browse satellite photos of landmarks from around the world, and to access historical imagery by manipulating a time slider tool.

• Step 4

  Analyze photographs on the basis of their stylistic differences. Photographs culled from newspaper archives illustrate the fact that every picture tells a slightly different story depending on the angle, the sharpness of the image, or the colors used. Certain stylistic differences result from chance; others result from consciously applied techniques that are designed to influence how an image is perceived by a viewer.

• Step 5

  Encourage students to employ critical thinking skills to evaluate information contained within photos. Historical photographs should be viewed as more than simply pictures in a book. Rather, students should be encouraged to consider how archival photos fit within a broader social context, and to identify important concepts that are addressed in a photograph.

• 3
• Google Earth software A lamination machine
• Google Earth software
• A lamination machine
• If you choose to allow students to handle photographic prints, consider laminating these items beforehand. Pass around copies of prints rather than the archival prints themselves, which may be irreplaceable if damaged or lost.
• If you choose to allow students to handle photographic prints, consider laminating these items beforehand. Pass around copies of prints rather than the archival prints themselves, which may be irreplaceable if damaged or lost.
• Not all photographs that are of historical interest are appropriate for classroom viewing. Even in a university setting, photographs documenting the scene of an assassination may be preferable to photographs of an assassination itself. Students can always view additional images in the course of extracurricular research.
• Not all photographs that are of historical interest are appropriate for classroom viewing. Even in a university setting, photographs documenting the scene of an assassination may be preferable to photographs of an assassination itself. Students can always view additional images in the course of extracurricular research.

References & Resources

• 3-D Photo Could Be Lincoln at Gettysburg
• Google Earth User Guide: Viewing Timelines
• "Effective Teaching Strategies"; Roy Killen; 2006 (p. 251)