English exam
Vocabulary text 1: How to write a photo critique
Adjective Synonym Translation
gritty sandy, grainy zanderig
shallow hollow ondiep
prominent outstanding vooraanstaand
haphazard careless, random lulkraak
thorough accurate, exhaustive grondig
crisp flaky scherp
Verb Synonym Translation
to prompt to provoke, to suggest influisteren
to evoke to arouse, to provoke uitlokken
to determine to establish bepalen
Noun Synonym Translation
a vantage point a perspective, an angle Een gezichtspunt, een
standpunt
1.2.1. Word Order
1.2.1.1. Word Order of Adjectives
Difficulty: Is it:
- ‘a disturbing dark photograph’ or ‘a dark disturbing photograph’?
- ‘a small shiny black and white print’ or ‘a shiny small black and white print’?
Rules:
(1) Immediately in front of the noun, we put adjectives that tell you what something is
used for (purpose adjectives):
Ex. a tennis racket
a conference hall
(2) In front of these, we put adjectives that tell you what something is made of
(material adjectives):
Ex. a steel and nylon tennis racket
a brick conference hall
,(3) In front of these, we put adjectives that tell you where something comes from
(origin adjectives):
Ex. a Venetian glass ashtray
Spanish leather boots
(4) In front of these, we put colour adjectives:
Ex. a green Venetian glass ashtray
black Spanish leather boots
(5) In front of these, we put adjectives of size, age and shape (in this order):
Ex. a fat old white horse
A small new round table
(6) In front of these, we put subjective adjectives
Ex. a beautiful old green Venetian glass ashtray
tacky big old black Spanish leather boots
1.2.1.2. Word Order of Adverbs
The normal order of adverbs in an English sentence is in end position: manner +
place + time.
Ex. He works hard in the garden on Sundays.
M P T
However, when the verb is a verb of movement, we are usually focused on where
someone is going, hence the word order becomes: place + manner + time.
Ex. He returned home late as usual.
When we want to emphasize the time, we can put the time adverb at the beginning of
the sentence.
Ex. As soon as she saw me, she ushered me hurriedly inside.
2.2. The Varieties of Self-Portrait Experiences
Let’s start with a simple definition of the term. The Latin roots of ‘portray’ tell us that a
self-portrait is to ‘draw forth’ and ‘represent’. When you take your own picture, you
are attempting to extract and depict who you are. You might do this for two basic
reasons: 1) To explore and better understand your self;
2) To express your self to others.
In both cases you are creating an objective representation of the subjective you. The
self-portrait allows you to see yourself as others might see you. It allows others to
see you as you see yourself or as you wish to been seen.
,We will focus on the psychological aspects of the desire to draw forth and represent
the self. Such a psychological exploration will lead us into the marvelous variety of
self-portrait experiences. We are of course aware of the fact that we will surely run
into dilemmas when investigating something as complex as self-portraits.
Objective and subjective self-portraits
Often we can’t tell for sure if a photo is a self-portrait unless the photographer tells us
so. objective (adjective): based on real facts and not influenced by personal beliefs or
feelings. objective reality: having reality independent of the mind.
objectivity (in reason): based in a separate, distant, and unbiased point of view, such
that concepts discussed are treated as objects.
objectivity (in science): empirical evidence, observation and experimentation in the
physical world is conducive to the verification of scientific judgments. These methods
of reasoning in science address the objectivity or neutrality of their theses or theories.
subjective (adjective): influenced by or based on personal beliefs or feelings, rather
than based on facts, involving or deriving from sense perception or experience with
actual objects , conditions, or phenomena.
subjectivity (in reason): subjectivity refers to the property of perceptions, arguments,
and language as being based in a subject's point of view, and hence influenced in
accordance with a particular bias. Its opposite property is objectivity.
Inclusion and Exclusion
In the exclusive types, they use a narrow field of view or intentionally hide something.
The shot may focus on just a particular part of the person’s body. Photographers
reveal or hide particular parts of themselves often because they feel positive or
negative about that aspect of their identity.
Spontaneous and Planned Self-Portraits
On the spur of the moment, you hold the camera out at arms length to quickly snap a
shot of yourself. It was a split second decision.
They think about why they want it to look a certain way. They have an opportunity to
decide how they want to express themselves in that particular picture, how they want
‘to be’ in that moment. By taking this opportunity to reflect on themselves in the
creation of the image, they attain a better understanding and mastery of the feelings
and personality traits being depicted. The process of controlling the shoot might even
help them manage problematic aspects of themselves rather than act them out.
Symbolic Self-Portraits
In symbolic self-portraits, photographers visually project their feelings, ideas,
interests, memories or personality traits into these objects and scenes. They see
them as visually representing something important about their identities.
, They create an image in which ‘this object, scene, or person is related to or stands
for something about me.’ They have the ability to identify with the other, to
psychologically invest the self in the other.
Vocabulary text 2: Self-portrait
Adjective Synonym Translation
marvellous wonderful, wondrous wonderbaarlijk
ambiguous cryptic, vague dubbelzinnig
deceptive tricky, misleading bedriegelijk, misleidend
unpretentious humble, laid-back bescheiden
narcissistic self-absorbed, vain narcistisch
vulnerable liable, sensitive kwetsbaar
impromptu unscripted, spontaneous improvisatie
random accidental, unplanned lukraak,toevallig
off-the-cuff impromptu, unrehearsed onvoorbereid
significant important, compelling betekenisvol
susceptible vulnerable, sensitive vatbaar
tangible touchable tastbaar
candid blunt, sincere openhartig, eerlijk
awkward troublesome, risky lasting
appeasable forbearing toegevend
Verb Synonym Translation
to represent to act for, to stand for vertegenwoordigen
to draw forth to kindle voortrekken
to magnify to increase vergroten
to distort to disfigure, to alter verdraaien
to emphasize to accent, to punctuate benadrukken
to amplify to exaggerate versterken
to discard to dump, to dispose of afdanken, weggooien
to pivot to turn, to twist draaien, roteren
to comprise to include bevatten
to embark to enter, to board aan boord gaan
to expand to extend, to increase uitbreiden
to verbalize to express, to mouth verbaliseren