Visuals can help us all better understand ideas, concepts, and emotions.
I didn’t want to be rude, but a 90-minute keynote with no images found me abandoning the talk within 45 minutes. Visuals help me to “hear” – especially in a challenging situation like a large ballroom with loudspeakers. Loudspeakers that weren’t crystal clear. At least not for me!
If you were listening to a 90-minute talk (which is the length of most movies these days) would you like to have some visuals to go along with that? Hearing impaired or not, I believe almost everyone benefits from meaningful images that underscore or clarify the spoken word. I call this metaphorically speaking with images.
Metaphorically Speaking with Images
Author Ann Miller of Metaphorically Selling, says we remember 20% of what we hear and 80% of what we hear and see. When images are vivid, we remember 95%.
Who wouldn’t want 95% of their message remembered?
To that end, I’ve decided to start posting photographs I’ve taken with a metaphor in mind.
What metaphors would you assign?
Below is my first metaphoric image.
It is of a beautiful blue sky, puffy white clouds, with a barbed wire fence in the foreground. I took this photo with the metaphoric idea of wanting to reach for the sky but imprisoned by self-doubt, or circumstances.
Start your own library of metaphoric images
I encourage you to start a personal gallery of images that enhance or clarify whatever it is you speak about. With smartphone cameras, this is pretty easy to do. The added benefit is you avoid any risk of violating copyrights.
Alternatively, the site where this photo came from has millions of royalty-free images you can use with NO strings attached. It is publicdomainpictures.net.
When words cannot do a concept, idea, or emotion justice, consider speaking metaphorically with images.
