Pictures, images, photos - describe what you see

 Describing photos and pictures

Embed from Getty Images
Images from news websites;

1. 1st impression

  • The photo/picture shows ...
  • It was taken by/in ...
  • It's a black-and-white/coloured photo.

2. What is in the picture and where?

  • In the foreground/background you can see ...
  • In the foreground/background there is ...
  • In the middle/centre there are ...
  • At the top/At the bottom there is ...
  • On the left/right there are ...
  • Behind/In front of ... you can see ...
  • Between ... there is ...

3. Who is doing what?

Here you decribe the persons in the picture or you say what is happening just now. Use the Present Progressive.

4. What I think about the picture or how does it make me feel

  • It seems as if ...
  • The lady seems to ...
  • Maybe ...
  • I think ...
  • ... might be a symbol of ...
  • The atmosphere is peaceful/depressing ...
  • I (don't) like the picture because ...
  • It makes me think of ...
Adjectives to describe pictures:
aerialactivitybeautiful
bestcandidcolorful
detaileddigitaldramatic
excellentfamousfantastic
glossygrainygraphical
historicinterestingoriginal
panoramicprecioussmall
wonderfulvividpicturesque
delineatedillustratedstriking
expressiverepresentationalscenic
depicteddiagrammaticiconographic
eloquentevocative creative