Reading The Pictures

Reading The Pictures is the only site dedicated 100% to the analysis of news images and media images. Launched in 2004, Reading The Pictures is closely followed by the political and visual media, the political blogosphere, the photo community and university communications and journalism programs. The site consists of three sections, each taking a unique approach to the still image: • The Notes section addresses the framing of images in the news media and social media, as well as key issues in the practice of photojournalism. • The Salon is an on-line, real-time discussion between photojournalists, visual academics and other visual or subject experts. Each salon examines a set of images relevant to the major visual stories of the times often focusing on how the media and social media has framed the event. • The Originals section publishes original photojournalism addressing long-term social and documentary stories as well as the photographer's working process. Reading The Pictures was a '06 Webby Awards finalist for Best Political Blog and a credentialed blogger at the '08 Democratic National Convention. The site won a 2010 Picture of the Year International award for multimedia reporting and topped LIFE's 2011 list of Best Photo Blogs. Michael Shaw, the publisher of Reading The Pictures and the first full-time news photo and photojournalism critic, is Shaw has been referred to as the first full-time news photography critic.