1. Opinions Through Images
By Eanan Nagle

2. Precedents
• All of us are familiar with the
expression of opinion and
meaning through images and
art.
• Political cartoons have been
around for centuries, and
they’ve helped to not only
advance this type of self-
expression, but enhance the
art of satire.
• People figured out a long
time ago that visual fields are
ideal for giving opinions.

3. The Inspirational Effect
• When people think of inspirational images, they almost always think of
photographs. However, even a personal creation can have a major impact.
• Take, for example, this familiar image from the annals of history:

4. Advantages
• All essays and written
presentations are meant to
channel the creator’s
intentions and create
mental images. Visual
methods skip straight to
this end goal.
• Much more straightforward
• Much more difficult for an
audience to lose focus

5. Drawbacks
• Stigma that images, by being
simpler than essays and the
like, are also “dumber”. Some
people will ignore it
automatically.
• Just like written works, if a
visual presentation isn’t
creative or coherent, it will
flop, and has no more room for
error than other vehicles

6. Authenticity
• Even if an image manages to convey your thoughts, there’s no
guarantee it will succeed.
• Given the nature of the Internet, humor and shock will always
triumph over level-headedness.

7. Controversy
• Just as some people are not
going to be accepting of your
opinion, so too are there those
who will denounce how you
present it.
• Take, for example, the works of
Andres Serrano, whom people
have blasted for his approach to
art.