What’s Going On in This Picture? | Oct. 27, 2014

By The Learning Network
What’s going on in this picture? Look closely at the image above or view it in a larger size, then tell us what you see by posting a comment. On Tuesday, we will reveal more about the image and its origins at the bottom of this post. Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters

Updated: Oct. 28, 2014

Students

1. After looking closely at the image above (or at the full-size image), think about these three questions:

  • What’s going on in this picture?
  • What do you see that makes you say that?
  • What more can you find?

2. Next, join the conversation by posting a comment below. (Please remember not to post your last name.)

3. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the @ symbol to address that student directly.

Each Monday, our collaborator, Visual Thinking Strategies, will facilitate a discussion from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Eastern time by paraphrasing comments and linking to responses to help students’ understanding go deeper. You might use their responses as models for your own.

4. On Tuesday, we will reveal more information at the bottom of this post about the photo. How does reading the caption and learning its back story help you to see the image differently?

More?

Updated: Oct. 28, 2014

This week’s image comes from the Sept. 8, 2014 “Pictures of the Day” post on the Lens blog. The caption reads:

Every year, devotees converge on Alajar, southwest Spain, to pay homage to the Virgin Mary at the Arias Montano crag, during a pilgrimage which combines religious fervor and festive color.

Marcelo Del Pozo is the photographer.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

VTS Moderator October 27, 2014 · 7:15 am

Welcome to WGOITP!

Since it’s a week during which we might expect particular attention to costumes, we’re hoping you have fun figuring what this trio is up to. Don’t forget to cite the evidence you collect to back up your theories.

Last installment, we saw quite a few of you respond to the posts of others, and we hope even more of you will engage in such dialogue this week. To do so, just put an @ in front of the name of the commenter to whom you want to respond.

If you check last week’s Tuesday edition, you’ll see a very good example of why it’s useful to return to the Learning Network the day after WGOITP: our Times colleagues tell us what the original caption for the image said. As you will see, most posts were on the right track, but it’s pretty fascinating to add more detail—the reason so many of us read the paper.

Enough. What’s going on in this picture???

Lisa October 27, 2014 · 7:33 am

I think that this picture is representing techonology being introduced to the older generations as techonology advances daily. The younger boy doesn’t pay attention to the phone in the older woman’s hand because he is already used to the advancements of technology. Therefore, it it nothing new to him.

Conde October 27, 2014 · 7:33 am

In this picture a woman is helping another woman wither phone, or at least showing her something. It seems like they know each other since the lady with the bag f chips is fine with giving them chips.

Ranel October 27, 2014 · 7:34 am

the lady in the pink is taking chips

Fatima October 27, 2014 · 7:34 am

I think the picture is showing different time periods because the women in the far left looks like someone from modern time since she has a cell phone (showing it to another person) and potato chips. The person on the far right seems like someone from the colonial times by the way he is dressed. The lady in the middle represents royal times, between 1700-1800s, also by the way she is dressed.

Lidya October 27, 2014 · 7:37 am

in my opinion i see that the women is sneaking food out of the old women and give to the boy. i said that because the old women is on the phone pointing something and the women hand is on the chips and the boy who stand next to the women is eathing chips.The boy and the woman clothes are cultural cloth and the old women dressed like normal cloth.

salma October 27, 2014 · 7:38 am

In this picture I see that a women is trying to help another women with her cell phone and the guy is embarrassed about how they are reacting. He is also trying to hide his wxpressiong by eating food.

Juan October 27, 2014 · 7:38 am

the second ladie an the man may be were in a partie and the other ladie try to help they founded a taxi cab i her cellphone

jannaty loves food October 27, 2014 · 7:39 am

Using my observing skills, i see that the girl on the left who looks like the mother of those three is trying to point somthing out in her daughters phone, witch is right next to her dressed in pink trying to see what her mother says, also eating the chips from her mothers hand. And lastly next to the perky daughter there is a teenage boy that seems to be interested in something out of the picture. Based on their picture the left women is wearing normal clothes, and the ‘pink princess’ looks old, and the teenage boy wore toddler clothes.

Elmi October 27, 2014 · 7:40 am

Its showing the possible effects technology has on elderly people

Noe October 27, 2014 · 7:45 am

I think they are on line for a job interview.

Christina AOSE October 27, 2014 · 7:47 am

I think what is going on in this picture is there might be a halloween party or costume party where people are bored or having a bad time. I think this because it looks like the woman in the middle is dressed in a costume, as well as the boy on the right. It could also be a play where the actors are back stage because that is another situation where they could be wearing costumes.

Gillian AOSE October 27, 2014 · 7:50 am

I think that this picture was taken either at an audition for a show or at a rehearsal for a show. The clothes that the people are wearing look really outrageous, like the only reason that they would be worn is for a show as a costume. The woman in the middle on her phone makes it seem like it’s either an informal setting or that she is getting in character for a performance. The woman next to her holding the junk food makes it seem more like they are preparing for a show because of the chips and beer bottle she is holding, because most people wouldn’t want to audition for something right after eating junk food.

Paige HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:53 am

It looks like these people could be waiting in line for a costume contest. I am guessing this due to their crazy clothes. Maybe they are munching away because they have been in line forever and that’s why they have their phones. Also, its around Halloween time so I’m just assuming that it is somewhat related to that.

Tayah HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:55 am

In this picture, it looks like the people are at a Halloween party. They are all dressed up oddly, making me think that they are dressed for Halloween. It looks like the boy is eating some kind of cookie or candy. I also see that the lady in the middle is on her phone but I don’t know if that has anything to do with what is going on in the picture. Another thing I see is that the lady furthest to the left has a bag of chips and a drink.

Sam HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:56 am

In this picture, people are dressed up, looking at a phone and eating chips. To me it looks like they are going to a costume party. They got lost so they are looking at the phone for directions and they got hungry so they are eating and getting something to drink. The kid on the right is annoyed how how long they are taking so he is just standing there looking bored.

FelixHHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:57 am

In this picture, it looks like there are two actors that are in a play taking a break and talking to a friend. I think that the two people dressed up are actors because of what they are wearing. They have on cloths that were worn a long time ago while the person they are standing with has modern day cloths on. It also looks like they are both snacking on some chips that there friend has brought them.

Tyler D HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:57 am

To me, this picture represents three generations, from left to right. The lady all the way to the left resembles a modern human, wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses and holding a bag of chips with a pop, clearly representing a modern-day human being. The lady in the middle is representing a generation somewhere in the middle of the three people. I say this because the modern-day human is demonstrating how to use the smartphone to her, and because she is wearing some sort of pink-polka dotted dress that probably nobody nowadays would wear. Finally, the boy all the way to the left represents someone from way back – perhaps a pilgrim. It appears that he is wearing an old-fashioned hat that says “ANGEL” and his close display his generation quite accurately.

Kendra HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:58 am

I think that the lady on the left side of the picture is teaching the lady in the middle how to use her new phone, or showing her how to get to a destination. The lady who is holding the phone is eating some of the other lady’s potato chips because she is paying so much attention to the phone. The little boy on the right is a relative of the lady in the middle, and she’s giving him some potato chips. They could be part of a play.

Connor J HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:58 am

I believe that these people are getting ready to go to a horse race. I think this because the lady is all dressed up and wearing a big flower on her head and that is typical for a horse race. I also think this because maybe there is a theme and the young boy is wearing an outfit for the race. Maybe the older woman is showing the younger woman what time it is and where they need to go get where they need to be. Looking a little bit closer it is a possibility that the boy is a show boy and maybe is going to dance or do something at the race to amuse everyone.

Caleb HHS October 27, 2014 · 7:59 am

I believe there has been some drinking going on here. There is what looks to be a beer bottle in the ladies hand. It looks like they are just having fun at a Halloween party. Although the kid looks like he does not want to be associated with them. Also the lady stole a whole bag of chips.

HHHS Kendell October 27, 2014 · 7:59 am

It looks like the three of them might be going to a costume party, although, only two of them are dressed up. Or maybe they’re waiting to go somewhere for Halloween and are looking up directions on the phone and somewhere along the line they got hungry and opened up the chips. The two women seem to be debating about something on the phone. The boy appears to be quiet and maybe awkward.

Chase E HHHS October 27, 2014 · 7:59 am

I believe that they’re going to a festival of some kind in a different country. The boys hat, and the way the woman in the middle is dressed makes me believe that they are part of an event of some kind. Also the lady on the very left is holding an alcoholic beverage of some kind so its obvious that this may be a celebration. Another thing that i noticed was the necklace that the boy is wearing it may have some religious affiliation so this event could have to do with a religion.

Mindi HHHS October 27, 2014 · 8:00 am

In this picture I see people dressed from different generation. There is a women dressed in modern clothing, the women next to her is dressed 50s clothing, and a boy who looks like he could be dressed as a pilgrim. Also, the modern woman is showing the 50s lady how to use a cell phone which makes me believe that the people are supposed to look like they’re from different times. Something else I found in this picture is that the modern woman is holding a bags of chips and a drink which makes me think that maybe they were dressed this way for some kind of event.

Tyler A HHHS October 27, 2014 · 8:00 am

This is probably at an early Halloween party just because of how the people on the right are dressed and the beer in the hand of the person on the left. The kid on the far left looks too young to drink, but old enough to drive so he’s there to drive the two ladies home (one of them is probably his mom). He also looks like he doesn’t want to be there.