Reading the Pictures produces two video programs. Chatting the Pictures is a biweekly, highly-edited 10-minute webcast featuring publisher Michael Shaw and visual academic Cara Finnegan analyzing 3 key news photographs. The Reading the Pictures Salon is a panel discussion concerned with how the media and social media visually frame key social and cultural issues.
Latest Video
Chatting the Pictures: 3 Signature Images of the George Floyd Protests
In this week's Chatting the Pictures, educator John Mason joins us to discuss key portraits from the protests following the killing of George Floyd. Continue Reading
Chatting the Pictures: Here Are the Photos of People Suffering and Dying of Covid
This week, photographer Nina Berman joins us to discuss three images from our article, “Here Are the Photos of People Suffering and Dying of Covid.”
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Chatting the Pictures: Life and Death in New York; Distanced Mother’s Day; Restaurants Adapt
This webcast looks at a complex scene in a New York City park, distanced well-wishers at an LA nursing home, and a widely published COVID-era restaurant.
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Chatting the Pictures: Food Plant Workers at Risk; Politics and EMT; Arlington Precautions
Still focused on the pandemic, we look at a virus PR shot from Tyson Foods, a political photo from an EMT ride along, and Arlington honors with adjustments.
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Chatting the Pictures with Pete Souza: Presidential Photos in a Health Crisis
In the shadow of COVID-19, former White House photographer Pete Souza joins us to discuss four photos he took of Obama and Reagan handling health crises.
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Chatting the Pictures: More Pandemic—New York Harbor; Las Vegas Homeless; NYC ICU
This webcast on the pandemic looks at a symbolic scene in New York Harbor, a troubling Las Vegas shelter image, and an emotional Brooklyn hospital photo.
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Chatting the Pictures is a lively, highly edited look at key news photographs. Co-hosts Michael Shaw, publisher of Reading the Pictures, and writer and historian, Cara Finnegan, meet to discuss three prominent photos in the recent news. You can find all the Chatting the Pictures replays here.
The Reading the Pictures Salon analyzes 8-9 carefully researched photos chosen for theme and depth of content. Each 90-minute panel is made up of leading photographers, photo editors, visual academics and other experts experienced in the subject.
Since 2008, we have produced 29 Salons working with sponsors such as Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the Open Society Foundation. We have covered topics from social justice to political campaigns to foreign policy. For examples, take a look at: The Visual Representation of the US/Mexico Border Wall in the Media; How Science is Pictured in the Media and Public Culture; The Visual Framing of the Migrant Crisis; The Visual Framing of Surveillance; The Debate Over White House Photo Access; The Picture from Syria; or The War on Women. Each post contains a full replay of the broadcast, along with 2-3 minute highlight videos from each photo discussed. You can find all the full salons here.