Resource+3

= = **// Resource 3: //** Four images depicting people’s relationship with land - Available at the following URLs:
 * a) ****Overfishing- @http://inside.isb.ac.th/rtague/files/2009/04/overfish_img1_col2b_755791.jpg**
 * b) ****Stop Jabiluka- @http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2005/20050228_margarulakatona.jpg**
 * c) ****Wind energy- @http://www.sacredground.com.au/bad.sm.jpg**
 * d) ****Save Ningaloo @http://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/images/mc_wa_ningaloo_rally_crowd_00_500.jpg**

The resource used in lesson 5 is a series of five visual texts. The texts are taken from websites that have been created to educate the public on Australian environmental and land issues. The images are outlined below: a) “Overfishing” is a cartoon image taken from an opinion blog where people share their viewpoints on commercial fishing and sustainability of our oceans. b) “Stop Jabiluka” Is a protest sign taken from an environmental news website that warns of the environmental effects of the uranium mines in Kakadu National Park with a focus on the impact it will have on the Indigenous owners of the land. c) “Wind farm” Is an image taken from a website called Sacred Ground which opposes the development of a wind farm on an ancient Indigenous burial ground. d) “Save Ningaloo” is a photograph taken of a public protest to stop the development at Ningaloo and to protect the reef. It was taken from an organizations website called Wilderness Australia that strives for environmental sustainability and conservation in Australia. All of these images draw on a large number of visual grammar techniques to convince the public that we must take care of our country and take action. ** Relevance to the outcome: ** The resource is extremely relevant to the HSIE outcome ENS2.6 ‘Describes people’s interactions with environments and identifies responsible ways of interacting with environments’. The resource allows students to gain an insight into different people’s perspectives that have a passionate connection and interaction with their environment. As all the images all come from activist or environmental websites the focus of the images are all about acting responsibly and working towards a sustainable future. These images create an understanding for the students that human’s relationship with the environment is not always positive i.e. overfishing and mining however it teaches them that like the people that created the images they can act responsibly and work towards a brighter future for our country. This resource is to be used for students to explore how meaning is created in visual texts. All the images used have been designed to send a strong message out to the public about an environmental or land issue. Students will examine the context the images came from, what is happening in the texts (representational), what the relationship is between the viewer and text (Interactive) and how the text is put together (compositional). In “Overfishing” students will examine how the vectors of the fishing lines draw the reader’s eyes to the scared fish (the main issue) at the bottom of the image. The worried gaze of the centered fish also provides strong vectors towards the source of the problem (humans and commercial fishing). Symbolism is used in this picture through colour as the humans are in dark grey scale colours inferring evil whilst the underwater scene is bright and colourful, the way the environment should be. The hooks underwater represent a dangerous invasion of humans into nature suggesting unsustainable practices. Students will be able to identify that the image is an offer and unrealistic however it uses a low angle shot so the viewer sees the issue from the fish’s vulnerable perspective.
 * Explanation of the resource: **
 * Aspect of literacy suitable to be explored: **

In “Stop Jabiluka” students will examine the strong message created by the image. The viewers reading path moves from the open hand in the middle that symbolizes ‘stop’ and the need for action to the text that states what action needs to happen (stop mining). The colours are important in this image (red, black and yellow) as they symbolize the Indigenous Australians that oppose the mine and the red and yellow shapes create an industrial image that needs to be stopped. Students will develop an understanding of how strong thick framing and the careful balance of text and visuals can create a strong image that evokes the need for immediate action.

In “Wind farm” students will examine an image that juxtaposes the natural land with a man-made wind farm. The vectors show that the windmills are turning and that this negative change to scenery has already taken place. The text in the middle of the page reaffirms that the change has occurred and that 40,000 years of dreaming has been blown away and uses words negative connotations such as ‘bad’ and ‘away’. This use of pun (blown away) is significant as it is a common feature of political images. The reading path takes the viewer on a journey from the windmill to the text to the ground which is where the artist wants your end thoughts to lie- what is the impact on the land and the people this land owns to? The students will be able to link the faded colours used to a feeling of melancholy.

The image “Save Ningaloo” provides students with an opportunity to develop their understanding of visual grammar as they will be able to identify that it is an offer and the vectors show the front people nearly walking off the page. Symbols include wildlife images and the sheer number of people in the image heightens the critical nature of the environmental issue. The students will be able to identify that the image is realistic (photo) and its composition is important as its balance suggests that the protest goes on forever. The viewers attention is first grasped by the front protest signs and people. There is so much happening in this image that it consumes the viewer and makes you feel like you could be a part of the action.

The four images provide a lot of matter for exploration of visual grammar techniques. After examining their images carefully each group will develop the skills needed to create their own visual texts for inclusion in their news presentations.