Practical and Empirical Knowledge of Photoillustration: What is and is Not Known

Abstract

Little empirical research has been conducted concerning the relationship of photographs to text in photoillustration. Knowledge of photoillustration has remained the informal folklore of layout artists and photographers for several reasons: the unquantifiable nature of aesthetic judgment; the differences between principles of photography and of traditional art forms; and advances in both camera and press technology. As a result of these factors, tradition, not empirical research, has dominated practice. But traditional layout principles which have been the subject of empirical testing have received both denial and reinforcement in such areas as the effectiveness of photoillustration, color versus black-and-white, placement of photographs, and the photograph and traditional layout principles. More research is needed into this vital aspect of text production; fruitful research directions are suggested and the synthesis of the knowledge of both the practitioner and the researcher advocated.