Images in geography: Importance of the visual dimension in geographic thought

Abstract

The article discusses the status, forms of use, and importance of images in geography. To do so, it seeks examples from the history of geographic thought, and identifies two main logics associated with images: propositional and imaginative. These, in turn, serve as the basis for designing the three principal ways in which images are used throughout the development of geographic thought: contemplative, illustrative, and textual. All these reflections show us the essential role played by images in the production of geographical knowledge.