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THE "NATURAL" WAY OF VISUAL IMAGE INTERPRETATION 
FOR LANDCLASSIFICATION AND LANDSCAPE PLANNING 
by 
M.ANTROP 
Seminar for Regional Geography-Geological 
Institute 
Krijgslaan 281 S8 
B-9000-GENT (Belgium) 
ABSTRACT 
This paper presents the preliminar results of a methodological 
study on visual image interpretation. For several years many students have 
been observed during their interpretation work. Their approach to visual image 
interpretation showed to be analogous, regardingless their background and the 
image type used. This "natural" way of visual image interpretation can be des- 
cribed by the Gestalt-theory of learning. Application of the results of the 
psychological research to image interpretation made some improvements possible 
in the field of visual interpretation. Some of these results will be discussed 
briefly and their impact upon the image interpretation will be illustrated 
by some examples. Special attention is given to the disciplines of landclassi- 
fication and landscape planning. A holistic approach in visual image interpre- 
tation offers new possibilities in this field. 
INTRODUCTION 
This paper presents the preliminar results of a methodological 
study on visual image interpretation. This study started at the Seminar for 
Regional Geography - State University of Ghent, where for several years already, 
about 150 students and researchers recieve a training in remote sensing and 
image interpretation. Their background differs a lot : geography, geology, 
pedology, agronomy, ecology, history and archeology. Many of them work in coun- 
tries all over the world. Their attitude towards remote Sensing is mainly prag- 
matic. Most of them are interested only in the extraction of information out 
of "their" images and for "their" study. Very few are those who are interested 
in the remote sensing as a science on in the more sophisticated interpretation 
techniques. Consequentely their restlessness to start the image interpretation 
is self-evident. This sponteneous interpretation uses the imagery as it has 
been recieved and involves a lot of improvisation, characterized by trail-and- 
error process. Interesting observations could be made and showed the similarity 
between the attempts made by different interpreters. All students seemed to make 
the same "first approach" to visual image interpretation, regardingless to their 
background and the image-type they worked on. More Systematic observations, 
supported with some tests, learned that this process is conformable to the 
Gestalt-theory of learning as it has been studied by psychologists. Consequent- 
ly, a program started to evaluate the impact of the Gestalt-theory upon the vi- 
sual image interpretation in order to adapt in better to the natural, psycho- 
logical abilities of our visual perception. Special attention was given to the 
disciplines of landclassification and landscape planning, becausé"the holistic 
approach which is currently applied here. Only little attention has been payed 
to the results of the psycho-physical studies concerning our visual perception 
in relation to the image interpretation. Most work has been focused upon digital 
interpretation, which is aself-evident evolution in remote sensing. 
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