What is Photomontage

This chapter examines photo manipulation as a non-verbal strategy aimed at framing reality and representing American politicians in three Nigerian tabloids, namely Vanguard, Punch, and Nigeriana. The chapter specifically seeks answers to three research questions: What are some of the photo manipulation techniques used in the three newspapers? How do these techniques affect these newspapers' reports on American politics? And how does photo manipulation help frame specific aspects of American politics? Using structuralism as method of analysis, the chapter argues that Vanguard and Punch newspapers have embraced the tradition of using photomontage, photo collage and photoshopped photos to subtly dramatize news and infuse their articles with features carrying highly connotative meanings. In such photo montages and collages, shots are usually oriented in well calculated manners, or set as in photo serials and cartoons; all these in a bid to convey subliminal/connotative messages about American politicians. Such messages often endorse trivial stereotypes of American politicians.