npase contextual imagery
TRANSCRIPT
Contextual Imagery 1
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Training
Contextual Imagery: Photography with a “Collateral Duty”
Instructor Hours: 1.0
Practical Exercises: 0
Peer Review: 0
Supplemental Material:
1) PowerPoint: Contextual Imagery 2) Handouts: None 3) Videos: None 4) Book: None
Contextual Imagery 2
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes STATE: Welcome! This particular topic is aimed at capturing visual
information (VI) products that can be used for a variety of purposes—
public affairs (or “PA”), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(“ISR”), or both. When the need for photo documentation is called away,
the usual trend is for the photographers, whether they are MCs or not, to
focus closely in on the target. Often they fail to pull back and get the
larger context of the situation. The same with something as simple as
pulling into port; the temptation for the shooter is to focus on the line
handling team or the Quartermasters on the bridge, and neglect getting
imagery of the ship in context.
Slide – Objectives
STATE: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
• Discuss capturing context in VI products
• Discuss captioning requirements
Objective: Discuss Capturing Context in VI Products
Slide – What is Contextual Imagery?
STATE: Simply put, “contextual imagery” is a photograph that captures
more than merely the subject; it captures the context that subject is acting
in. It captures the “big picture” if you will. A photo of a small boat
buzzing your ship is great, but getting part of you ship in the image
provides the context telling the story that this is not merely a speedboat,
but a speedboat 25 yards off your port side.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
What is contextual imagery?
• Imagery that provides a larger context to the subject in
the image
• Context can be created by showing elements of a ship’s
structure, shorelines and landmarks, identifying marks on
ships, etc.
• Often creates an image that is dual purpose: can be
used for public affairs (PA) and intelligence, surveillance,
and reconnaissance (ISR) of an event
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
Objectives
• Discuss capturing context in VI products
• Discuss captioning requirements
Contextual Imagery 3
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
Slide – Su-24 #1
STATE: The April 2016 over flight of USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) by
Russian Su-24 aircraft is the classic ‘text book’ example of the
importance of contextual imagery for both PA and ISR purposes. This
close-up photo of one of the Su-24s is important because it provides a
detailed look at Russian aircraft. It has great ISR value, but only limited
PA value. There is nothing in the image that says this is anything other
than an aircraft flying over the ocean.
Slide – Su-24 #2
STATE: This is an example of a good contextual image. The Russian
jets are not terribly prominent compared to the deck of the Donald Cook,
but the deck in the foreground gives the reader an idea just how close the
Russian jets were. This image has a lot of ISR value. Since this was an
unwelcome event in international waters, there is PA value too because it
makes the case that the Russians were operating in an unsafe manner.
Slide – Su-24 #3
STATE: This was the “money shot” of the day. The visible proximity
of aircraft to ship here tells a powerful story and is useful both for ISR
and PA purposes.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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Thisisperhapsthe“best”shotofthesequencecapturedbyUSSDonaldCook’screw.ThesuperstructureintheforegroundgivesanalystsaclearmarkofhowclosethisRussianjetis.ShotslikethisprovideawealthofPAandISRinforma on.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Public Affairs Fundamentals
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ThisisagreatshotofoneoftheRussianSu-24a ackaircra thatoverflewUSSDonaldCook(DDG75)April12,2016.However,thisshotonlyshowstheaircra andprovidesnocontext.Thiscouldbeatanairshow,itcouldbeashotbyaRussianSailoroftrainingops.Thereisnoimmediatevisualcontexttotellthebiggerstory.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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Thisisaclassic“contextualimagery”shot.Theship’sstructureintheforegroundimmediatelycommunicateshowlowtheSu-24sweretotheDonaldCookduringtheseriesofflyoverstheyconducted.
Contextual Imagery 4
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
Slide – Rappahannock story
STATE: In December 2012 USNS Rappahannock fired on an Indian
fishing boat. Rappahannock said the boat was threatening the ship; the
Indian government claimed we fired without cause. There is no imagery
of the event to support our government’s claim. This is one reason
contextual imagery is so important. Had we possessed visual proof of the
fishing boat’s proximity to Rappahannock, this international “he said/she
said” would not be happening.
STATE: Contextual imagery is one of the quickest ways the Navy can
counter an adversary’s propaganda. Visual proof goes a very long way to
correcting a false narrative. If your captain has to open fire on a
“civilian” vessel, photographic proof that the vessel was closing in on
your ship and firing a weapon is an immediate and powerful weapon in
the information war.
Slide – USS Chosin and dhow
STATE: Contextual imagery does not have to be from deck level, though
it often is. If someone in a Navy aircraft has a camera (remember, MCs
are not the only Sailors capable of this mission), and gets a shot like this
one of USS Chosin and a local dhow, any false claims about the
encounter can be countered.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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USSChosin(CG65)passesafishingdhowintheGulfofAdenNov.8,2009.IfthishadbeenaneventsimilartotheRappahannockincidentof2012,thecontextprovidedbyshowingproximitywouldbeextremelyimportant.Eitherway,itisagoodPAandISRshot;itcanbereleasedanditdocumentslocalboa ngac vity.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
• Contextual imagery can be used to counter adversary
propaganda by providing a visual record of the truth
• Can be used to support U.S. claims against charges of
wrong-doing in the event of an incident:
• USNS Rappahannock (T-AO-204) fired on an Indian
fishing vessel off the coast of Dubai July 16, 2012. One
Indian fisherman was killed and three were wounded.
Rappahannock’s skipper claimed the Indian boat approached rapidly at high speed; the Indian government
claimed our ship fired without provocation. No imagery
exists to support either claim.
Contextual Imagery 5
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
Slides – Vella Gulf
STATE: This image can go two ways. It can show how dedicated our
forces are to humanitarian causes by showing how close we’ll get to a
vessel in distress. Conversely if we had to fire on this dhow, this image
clearly shows the world that the dhow was an imminent threat through its
very proximity to Vella Gulf.
Slide – Pulling into port
DIRECT: Get a volunteer to read this slide.
STATE: These next several images are examples of what you can gain
from contextual imagery in near-shore or in-port settings.
Slide – Bridge of the Americas
STATE: A new navigation team can learn a lot about a trip to the
Panama Canal through this image. Additionally planners can use this to
predict possible threats while we get a great PA shot of our ship entering
the canal. Let’s take a quick look a few more examples.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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Thefo’c’sleofUSSVellaGulf(CG72)showsitsproximitytothedhowbeingassisted.ThisisclearvisualevidencehowseriouslytheNavytakesaidingvesselsindistress;ashipwillgetascloseassafelypossibletorenderaidonthehighseas.Conversely(againreferencingtheRappahannock)thiscouldbethevisualproofneededanadversarywasclearlyathreattoourship,therebyjus fyingourdecisiontofire.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
• Pulling into port is an easy time to get contextual imagery
• Bridges, castles, other landmarks along with visible parts
of the ship’s structure provide a wealth of information
• Even “indistinct” shoreline with no major landmarks is
important to provide context
• Captures location and proximity of piers, buoys and
potential hazards to navigation
• Can be used to predict and counter potential future
threats while in port
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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ThisshotofUSSChosin(CG65)approachingtheBridgeoftheAmericasisagreatPAshot,butalsoshowsthewidthofthechannel,theloca onofapierorquayofftotheright,etc.ItwasshotbyanFC2,notanMC2.AnySailorcancapturegoodcontextualimagery.
Contextual Imagery 6
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes DIRECT: Have a student volunteer read each slide. Guide the students
to see what uses the photos have beyond public affairs (hint: most of the
needed information is on the slides if they are paying attention):
Slides – Gaeta, Hong Kong, and Israel
Slide – CVN 73 and Peruvian ships
STATE: Friendly interactions with foreign forces should be captured
with the same eye to contextual imagery and captioned properly.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
USSBainbridge(DDG96)mooredatGaeta,Italy,Oct.23,2015.Thisshotprovidesgreatdetailaboutmooringlinesetup,pollu onboom,andlayoftheharbor.
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Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
USSMus n(DDG89)preparestomoorinHongKong.ThisshotprovidesagreatdealofcontextabouttheapproachtoHongKong.ItisbothagreatPAshotandcansupportISRneedsaswellbecausetheship’sstructureprovidesscale.
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Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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Any meyoucangetiden fyingmarkssuchastheDESRON2emblemonUSSLaboon(DDG58)’sstackassheismooredherewithUSSRoss(DDG71),doso.Thisinforma on,alongwiththebackgroundofHaifa,Israel,providescontextforthegeographyandbusynatureoftheport.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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USSGeorgeWashington(CVN73)andUSSChaffee(DDG90)areparalleledbythePeruvianVavyCarvajal-classfrigatesBAPVillavisencio(FM52)andBAPMariategui(FM54)Oct.2,2015duringbilateralexercises.ForPApurposesthisprovidesagreatimageofusandourpartners;forISRitclearlydocumentstheeventandprovidesasenseofscaleofthePeruvianvessels.
Contextual Imagery 7
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes Objective: Discuss Captioning Requirements
Slide – Caption requirements 1
DIRECT: Have a student volunteer read this slide.
STATE: Be it a PA or ISR requirement, caption requirements are never
going away. The caption both completes the historical record and fills in
details the image by itself can’t. The caption will fill in the details of the
5 W’s (who, what, where, when, why, and, if appropriate, how).
Slide – Caption requirements 2
STATE: If you look at the photo gallery on Navy.mil or DVIDS, you
will see plenty of caption examples. Captions generally follow the AP
Stylebook, and must be relatively short. Each sentence should contain no
more than 30 words, though if necessary they can be longer. One trick to
word counting in the journalism word: full ID or specific phrases can
count as one word. For example, “amphibious transport dock USS Ponce
(LPD 15)” counts as only one word.
Slide – Caption example
STATE: Here is an example. Notice how simple both sentences are;
captions do not have to be complex. Now, let’s take a closer look at the
VIRIN, the number all DoD VI products are catalogued by.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
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160209-N-ZZ786-058BAYOFBENGAL(Feb.9,2016)Guided-missilecruiserUSSAn etam(CG54)sailswiththeIndianNavyCentaur-classaircra carrierINSViraat(R22)intheBayofBengalFeb.9.TheshipsweretakingpartinajointexerciseaspartofIndia’sInterna onalFleetReview.(U.S.NavyphotobyMC3DavidFlewellyn/Released*OR*NotReleased)
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
• Caption information must be acquired and embedded
with the image, even if it is only being used for ISR
• Ships must be identified by nationality (foreign vessels
only), class, name and hull number (at minimum).
• This can take some time to research, so research in
advance ships likely to be encountered and have the
information ready to go.
• The date of the event must be part of the caption.
• Even ISR imagery must be cataloged with a VIRIN
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
Cap onelementsinorder:1) VIRIN2) DatelineinALLCAPS(geographicareawheretheimagewasshot,not
theship)3) Dateinparentheses4) Atleastonesentencefullyiden fyingthevesselsinvolved(ISRminimum
requirement)
1) Asecond“boilerplate”sentenceoutliningthemissionorexercise(PArequirement)
5) Creditlineinparentheseswithadeclara onwhethertheimageis
“Released”or“NotReleased”forpublicviewinganduse
Contextual Imagery 8
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
Slide – VIRIN
STATE: This is the VIRIN. All VI products submitted must be
catalogued with it. The caption will go in the metadata that is embedded
in the image using Adobe Photoshop or other photo-processing software.
STATE: Each service has a different letter code to differentiate its
images from the other Armed Forces:
N = Navy
A = Army
M = Marine Corps
F = Air Force
G = Coast Guard
D = DoD Civilian
STATE: Notice the Coast Guard is listed here. Even though they fall
under the Department of Homeland Security, their VI products are
cataloged and handled in the same way as DoD.
STATE: Prior to mid-2011, the “Vision ID” code consisted of the last
four digits of the photographer’s SSN and the first letter of their last
name. Due to concerns about identity theft (and other PII-related
threats), the Vision ID code was changed to a randomly generated alpha-
numeric code. Therefore, if you are using the Vision ID to look up
photographers who were in the Navy prior to May 2011, you will need to
know their older code, or else use their name for the search.
STATE: One element to note in a photo story or essay is the KEY
PHOTO. This is the strongest photo in the entire sequence and the one
best able to be used as a stand-alone photo if your editor can’t use the
rest. In a traditional layout, the key photo is always the largest photo
because it has the most stopping power, and is therefore well suited to
getting your reader into the essay or story.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
A“VIRIN”isaVisualInforma onRecordIden fica onNumber.Itisusedtocatalogueeverypieceofs llandvideoimagerycreatedbyDoDphotographers.Aunique“VisionID”isafive-digitalalpha-numericcodeiden fyingthespecificphotographer(togetregisteredforaVisionID,gotoh ps://vipro.defenseimagery.milandfollowtheinstruc ons):
160426–N–YX169-001
Twodigityear/month/day
CodeID’ingtheservice.“N”forNavy.
VisionIDthatiden fieseachspecific
photographer
Sequen alnumberofs llandvideoimagesshotthatdaybythatphotographer
Contextual Imagery 9
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
Final Review
STATE: Let’s go over what we’ve studied.
ASK: What does VIRIN stand for? Answer: Visual Information Record
Identification Number
ASK: How do you describe a VIRIN? Answers should include the
following points: A five-digit alpha-numeric code randomly generated
that individually identifies every photographer in the U.S. DoD.
ASK: Define “contextual imagery.” Answers should include the
following: Imagery that provides the larger context of the story, such as
no merely getting a close-up photo of a ship near yours, but also pulling
back to get part of your ship in the foreground as a reference. It is as
necessary as the close-up image is.
ASK: What are some reasons contextual imagery is important?
Answers will vary but should hit the following points: Counter adversary
propaganda, provide evidence bolstering our government’s position in a
case, provide public affairs products showcasing our port calls or
interactions with our international partners, provide training aids for
future Sailors.
ASK: What are the 5W’s a caption answers? Answer: Who, what,
where, when, why and, if appropriate, how.
Slide – Objectives
STATE: We have discussed the following objectives:
• Discuss capturing context in VI products
• Discuss captioning requirements
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Contextual Imagery
Objectives
• Discuss capturing context in VI products
• Discuss captioning requirements
Contextual Imagery 10
Contextual Imagery
Trainer Notes
STATE: Contextual imagery is extremely important because it has so
many different uses. It can be everything from a game-changer in the
geopolitical sphere to a training aid to a great piece of public affairs.
Slide – Questions?
ASK: Does anyone have any questions for me?
STATE: Let’s take a ten-minute break before moving on.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element Contextual Imagery
Questions?
Contextual Imagery