What to observe in a picture in TAT
You have thirty seconds before a TAT story. Use them to read three things — setting, characters and situation. Proper perception is the prerequisite for a good story.
While writing the TAT, many candidates do not observe the picture carefully in the allotted thirty seconds. Some do it superficially; others come up with pre-conceived ideas. Their stories will not have relevance. Always remember that proper perception of the picture is a prerequisite for a good story.
There are three things to observe when a picture is shown — setting, characters and situation.
Setting — where the action is happening
Setting refers to the surroundings where the action is happening. It could be a home, a street, a classroom, a hospital, a mountain, a lake, and so on. Setting helps you assess the situation.
Situation — what is happening, right now
The situation is the action happening at a particular time in the surroundings. In some pictures the situation is obvious — a problem, a conflict, an emergency. In others it is not, and the candidate needs to use her imagination.
Characters — and the hero
Characters refers to the person or people involved in the situation. You need to identify the gender, age and mood of the characters and establish relationships between them. One of the characters should be the hero — the one involved in problem-solving.
Observe the picture closely to record all the minute details. The task of writing a good story then becomes easier, and your grasp and reasoning ability come through to the assessor.