In Eliot Porter’s photographs you can see the rich variety of the natural world. In this section you will compare the colors, climates, plants, animals, and humanity found in several of the locations Porter photographed.

Porter photographed places he visited around the world. What would you need to know before photographing a place (for instance: how would you get there, what would you need to pack, and what would you need to know about the subjects and terrain)?

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What might be the most important thing to show about a place: the climate, plants, animals, people, or colors of the region? Why?

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What do you think was the most important thing for Porter to show about a place? How can you tell?

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Look at the world map and pick the location you want to see through Porter’s photographs, but do not click on it yet.

Before you click on it, write the location name below, and answer each question.

Location #1 __________________________________

What do you expect to see in this location? __________________________________

What type of weather and temperature might it have? ___________________________________________________________________

With map pencils, sketch three specific colors you think you will see (like dark green or light blue) in this location, or write the colors in the space below each box.

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Click on your location and spend a few minutes looking at the photographs. Roll the mouse over any of the four small images to enlarge them. Be sure to read the information below the pictures.

Answer the four questions below. Be thoughtful. Use the back of the page if you need more space to write.

1. What colors do you see that you expected? What colors did you not expect to see?

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2. List the subjects Eliot Porter photographed in this location (people, animals, plants, land, buildings, etc.).

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3. What is the climate of this area (weather and temperature)?

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4. If you stepped into one of these pictures, what would you feel, see, hear, and smell? (Explain why beside each sense you list.)

NAME OF PICTURE: ____________________________________________________

FEEL: ____________________________________________________

SEE: ____________________________________________________

HEAR: ____________________________________________________

SMELL: ____________________________________________________

Choose another location, but before you click on it answer the following questions:

Location #2 ________________________________________________

What subjects do you expect to see in this location? ______________________________

What colors do you expect to see the most? ____________________________

What type of climate might it have? ____________________________

Click on the next location and answer the following three questions:

1. What colors do you see that you did not expect?

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2. If you stepped into this picture, what would the climate be like? How would it feel, smell, etc.?

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3. Note whether there are plants and animals and what kind. What do they tell you about the climate of the area?

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Compare and contrast both locations you visited…

In the spaces below, record the similarities and differences you see.

Similar:
Different:

By looking at photographs of the two locations you chose, what subjects did Porter choose to focus on?

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What did you find out about these locations that you did not know before?

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