AOW #2: Solar Panel Visual CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/

Summary:

At first glance, I could not tell what the image was portraying. It looked like adjacent rectangles shot at an odd angle under a dawning sky. However, its unique geometry and color patterns caught my eye and encouraged me to read the caption. From the caption, I was easily able to tell that the picture was of a solar panel roof; the article was about how a school installed solar panels in the hopes of saving money on power in the future.

Source: 

cnn.com is the website of CNN, an international news source based in Atlanta, Georgia that is also aired on television. CNN is staffed 24/7 and has almost 4,000 news professionals on staff. The site is updated constantly with new information in multimedia presentation.

Context: 

In the world today, one of the major issues is conserving energy and saving the planet. Therefore, more people are likely to read this article on alternate sources of energy (solar power); the visual and its article pertain to a topic that is on the top of everyones’ minds. 

Purpose: 

This advertisement is trying to attract people viewing the CNN homepage to read an article about solar power, while also featuring another article on a similar topic (“Hollywood’s strange energy sources”).

Audience: 

The visual was meant to be seen by people perusing the CNN homepage for interesting news. It is under the heading “This Weekend,” so the audience does not include people who are searching for a specific topic or article, but rather people who are looking for current events and issues.

Rhetorical Elements:

• caption – linked picture to article and explained what the picture portrayed
• organization – the patterns in the picture caught audience’s attention
• geometrical panels, horizontal stripes of dawning sky
• symbolism – the dawning sky suggests that solar panels may be a new start and hope in conserving energy and saving the planet 

The photographer accomplished his/her purpose because the image made me want to figure out what the article was about. However, I did not feel the need to read the article, so the author/editor failed at making the picture’s caption that described the article enticing to read.