An interesting visual trend As discussed in Table 2, the
vertical angle is associated with power relationships. I have
noted an interesting trend in imagery when producers wish
to encourage readers/users to incorporate new technologies
into everyday practices. The images representing the
use of the technology are frequently at a low visual angle to
the viewer. In semiotic terms, this means that the viewer
holds the power over the technology, not only in terms
of choosing to use the technology, but also of being able
to understand, control, and manage it. For example,
Figure 9 from the U.S. Postal Service encourages users to
go online to change their addresses, whereas Figure 10
tells us to “Eliminate check writing and pay anyone
anytime online.”
Figure 11, from a site promoting telemedicine, is interesting
because it demonstrates two different vertical angles
and power relationships. The first is the user-over-technology
relationship because the perspective of the photograph
ensures that viewers look down on the scene itself.
The second is implicit in the vertical angle between the
doctor (higher; more powerful) and the patient (lower; less
powerful). This angle plus the embedded symbolic representation
of a figure in a white coat and stethoscope is
designed to reinforce beliefs about the important knowledge
possessed by healthcare providers and their resulting
high power status in our society.