Caption activity

Laurie developed a good activity to help the children develop captions for their chosen photograph and to demonstrate the power of a caption or text to anchor, direct or change the meaning of an image. She prepared a set of identical images, one of which contained no caption while the others had different captions.

It was easy to see how the caption influenced the way one interpreted or read the image, connecting one's mind in each case to a different set of connotations. It illustrated how the meaning of an image is not fixed but subject to the interpretation and experience of the viewer, but also how 'common sense' interpretations tend to short-circuit other possible meanings. Laurie's focus on narrative interpretation opened up a free imaginative space for the children. They were beginning to learn how they could make art from aspects of their own life and experience and communicate their ideas in image and text with clarity to others.