NPASE Contextual Imagery

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
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
Contextual Imagery
Objectives

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.
Contextual Imagery
160412-N-ZZ999-008.U.S.Navyphoto/Released
This is perhaps the “best” shot of the sequence captured by USS Donald Cook’s
crew. The superstructure in the foreground gives analysts a clear mark of how
close this Russian jet is. Shots like this provide a wealth of PA and ISR informa on.
Public Affairs Fundamentals
This is a great shot of one of the Russian Su-24 a ack aircra that overflew USS Donald
Cook (DDG 75) April 12, 2016. However, this shot only shows the aircra and provides no
context. This could be at an airshow, it could be a shot by a Russian Sailor of training ops.
There is no immediate visual context to tell the bigger story.
Contextual Imagery
This is a classic “contextual imagery” shot. The ship’s structure in the foreground
immediately communicates how low the Su-24s were to the Donald Cook during
the series of flyovers they conducted.

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.
Contextual Imagery
091108-N-9500T-037.U.S.NavyphotobyMC1Sco
Taylor/Released
USS Chosin (CG 65) passes a fishing dhow in the Gulf of Aden Nov. 8, 2009. If this
had been an event similar to the Rappahannock incident of 2012, the context
provided by showing proximity would be extremely important. Either way, it is a
good PA and ISR shot; it can be released and it documents local boa ng ac vity.
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
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.
Contextual Imagery
090207-N-1082Z-075.U.S.NavyphotobyMC2
JasonR.Zalasky/Released
The fo’c’sle of USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) shows its proximity to the dhow being assisted.
This is clear visual evidence how seriously the Navy takes aiding vessels in distress; a
ship will get as close as safely possible to render aid on the high seas. Conversely
(again referencing the Rappahannock) this could be the visual proof needed an
adversary was clearly a threat to our ship, thereby jus fying our decision to fire.
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
Contextual Imagery
150625-N-WT787-021.U.S.NavyphotobyFC2
AndrewAlbin/Released
This shot of USS Chosin (CG 65) approaching the Bridge of the Americas is a great
PA shot, but also shows the width of the channel, the loca on of a pier or quay off
to the right, etc. It was shot by an FC2, not an MC2. Any Sailor can capture good
contextual imagery.

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.
Contextual Imagery
USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) moored at Gaeta, Italy, Oct. 23, 2015. This shot provides
great detail about mooring line set up, pollu on boom, and lay of the harbor.
151023-N-WA936-082.U.S.NavyphotobyEnsign
MorganWien/Released
Contextual Imagery
USS Mus n (DDG 89) prepares to moor in Hong Kong. This shot provides a great
deal of context about the approach to Hong Kong. It is both a great PA shot and
can support ISR needs as well because the ship’s structure provides scale.
160213-N-WA936-082.U.S.NavyphotobyMC2
ChrisanSenyk/Released
Contextual Imagery
150329-N-XB010-113.U.S.NavyphotobyMC3
DesmondParks/Released
Any me you can get iden fying marks such as the DESRON 2 emblem on USS
Laboon (DDG 58)’s stack as she is moored here with USS Ross (DDG 71), do so.
This informa on, along with the background of Haifa, Israel, provides context for
the geography and busy nature of the port.
Contextual Imagery
151002-N-WO404-147.U.S.NavyphotobyMC3
JonathanNelson/Released
USS George Washington (CVN 73) and USS Chaffee (DDG 90) are paralleled by the
Peruvian Vavy Carvajal-class frigates BAP Villavisencio (FM 52) and BAP Mariategui
(FM 54) Oct. 2, 2015 during bilateral exercises. For PA purposes this provides a
great image of us and our partners; for ISR it clearly documents the event and
provides a sense of scale of the Peruvian vessels.

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.
Contextual Imagery
160209-N-ZZ786-058.U.S.NavyphotobyMC3
DavidFlewellyn/Released
160209-N-ZZ786-058 BAY OF BENGAL (Feb. 9, 2016) Guided-missile cruiser USS An etam
(CG 54) sails with the Indian Navy Centaur-class aircra carrier INS Viraat (R22) in the Bay
of Bengal Feb. 9. The ships were taking part in a joint exercise as part of India’s
Interna onal Fleet Review. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 David Flewellyn / Released *OR*
Not Released)
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
Contextual Imagery
Cap on elements in order:
1) VIRIN
2) Dateline in ALL CAPS (geographic area where the image was shot, not
the ship)
3) Date in parentheses
4) At least one sentence fully iden fying the vessels involved (ISR minimum
requirement)
1) A second “boiler plate” sentence outlining the mission or exercise
(PA requirement)
5) Credit line in parentheses with a declara on whether the image is
“Released” or “Not Released” for public viewing and use

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.
Contextual Imagery
A “VIRIN” is a Visual Informa on Record Iden fica on Number. It is used to
catalogue every piece of s ll and video imagery created by DoD photographers.
A unique “Vision ID” is a five-digital alpha-numeric code iden fying the specific
photographer (to get registered for a Vision ID, go to
h ps://vipro.defenseimagery.mil and follow the instruc ons):
160426 – N – YX169 - 001
Two digit year/
month/day
Code ID’ing the
service. “N” for
Navy.
Vision ID that
iden fies each
specific
photographer
Sequen al
number of s ll
and video images
shot that day by
that photographer

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:
Contextual Imagery
Objectives

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.
Questions?
Contextual Imagery

NPASE Contextual Imagery

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