http://esol.britishcouncil.org/build-your-speaking-skills/describing-picture-airport

http://www.englishcenter.cz/downloadfiles/145.pdf

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/words/describing_pictures.htm

How to describe pictures in English

Hi everyone!
One of the most typical tasks that you may face when doing an oral exam in English is describing a picture.
How can you do that?there are some “basics” when describing pictures,I´ll show you the most relevant steps below.

1. You shoud introduce the picture/topic using expressions such as:

• The photo/ picture shows…
• It was taken by /in….
• It´s a black-and-white/coloured photo

2. Locate the different items in the photo using:

• In the foreground/ background you can see…./there is…
• In the middle/centre there are / I can see….
• At the top/At the bottom there is….
• On the left/ right there is….
• Behind/ In front of… you can see…
• Between…there is….

3. What are they doing? now you describe the people in the picture  or you say what is happening now using the present continuous (am/is/are + verb-ing).
You can also use physical descriptions and describe the clothes they are wearing.

4. Personal opinion
You should finish by expressing your personal opinion.You can use the expressions below:

• It seems as if….
• The lady seems to…
• Maybe…
• I think…
• I wonder….
• I like / don´t like the picture because….
• The atmosphere is relaxing/ depressing

Word List on Picture Description

Information on artist and year of origin

… (image) is a painting by … (artist), painted in … (year).

… (image), painted in … (year), is a work by … (artist)

… (artist) painted … (image) in … (year).

… (image) is a famous painting by … (artist).

Describing the scene

The picture was taken in … (place).

The photo was taken at … (party).

The picture shows a scene from …

It’s an image of … (place, person, scene).

The picture describes … (scene).

The picture shows … (place, person, scene) from a distance.

… (place, person, scene) is shown from … (a bird’s eye view/…).

You look at … (place, person, scene) from … (above/behind/…).

What can you see?

In the picture you can see …

… (position: on the left/right/…) there is / are …

… (position: on the left/right/…) you can see …

… is … (position: on the left/right/…)

Impression

… gives the impression of depth.

… (person) seems to look at the viewer.

His / Her eyes seem to follow the viewer.

The figures look as if they exist in three dimensions.

The viewer has the impression that the people in the picture are alive.

The viewer’s attention is focused on …

To the alert eye it will become apparent …

The viewer finds it difficult to withdraw his eyes from …

The painting is vivid / happy / expressive.

The picture makes the viewer feel … (sad/happy)

The picture inspires the viewer to think about …

Intention

The artist mainly uses … (colours/forms/…)

Important elements are highlighted.

The artist / photographer / painter uses … to express …

He / She (probably) wants to criticise / express / show …

It is obvious that the artist wants to criticise / express / show …

What the artist / photographer / painter wants to criticise / express / show is …

What the artist / photographer / painter wants to point out is …

I think / believe / am sure that …

It seems / appears to me that …

The problem illustrated here is …

… symbolises …

… is typical of …

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/writing/picture-description/vocabulary

Word List on Picture Description

Kinds of pictures and perspectives

viewer

picture, image

painting

photograph / photo

portrait

landscape painting

worm’s eye view

bird’s eye view

Structure

foreground

background

in the upper part

in the lower part

in the left part

in the right part

in the central part

in front of

behind

next to …

on the right

on the left

in the middle

from front

from behind

from above

from below

the second from left/right

Others

artificial light

daylight

subdued light

light colours

dark colours

loud colours

contrasty

vanishing point

vanishing line

Now that you know how to do it, describe the picture below: