Interpretations of Photography
Different people interpret photographs in many different ways. The way the photo is interpreted by a person can depend on what kind of job they have, how old they are, and how or where they grew up. Photos can also have an emotional effect on a person and bring back memories. How do you interpret the photograph on page one? Does it bring back any memories? How does the photograph make you feel? Jean Mohr says what is happening is "Great Britain, in the country. A small girl was playing with her doll. Sometimes sweetly, sometimes brutally. At one moment she even pretended to eat her doll." Out of all the interpretations, from our group, which one do you find the most imaginative? Does Jean Mohr's description make any sense to you? Now there are different kinds of photographic meanings. Allan Sekula thinks, "All photographic communication seems
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When John Berger reads the photograph, he says that there is drama going on between the soldier and the mother. He also looks at every item in the photo, the uniform, the rifles, the corner by the railway station, even the trees on the other side of the fence. He almost fabricates a story on what is happening in the photo, and what will happen sometime after the photo was taken. He also makes the assumption of who all of the people are and what their relations are to each other; a friend, a sister, a father, a husband. Berger reads photographs by what time period the photo was taken in. He believes that what happened around the time of the photograph is a necessity to know in order to read the photo properly and thoroughly. Now, read the paragraph on page three . . . Having read the paragraph, what do you see in the photograph now? Is the photograph any different to you now that you know what happened arround the time it was
Having such an image before our eyes, often we fail to recognize the message it is trying to display from a certain point of view. Through Clark’s statement, it is evident that a photograph holds a graphic message, which mirrors the representation of our way of thinking with the world sights, which therefore engages other
I glance amusedly at the photo placed before me. The bright and smiling faces of my family stare back me, their expressions depicting complete happiness. My mind drifted back to the events of the day that the photo was taken. It was Memorial Day and so, in the spirit of tradition my large extended family had gathered at the grave of my great grandparents. The day was hot and I had begged my mother to let me join my friends at the pool. However, my mother had refused. Inconsolable, I spent most of the day moping about sulkily. The time came for a group picture and so my grandmother arranged us all just so and then turned to me saying, "You'd better smile Emma or you'll look back at this and never forgive yourself." Eager to please and knowing she would never let it go if I didn't, I plastered on a dazzling smile. One might say a picture is worth a thousand words. However, who is to say they are the accurate or right words? During the 1930s, photographers were hired by the FSA to photograph the events of the Great Depression. These photographers used their images, posed or accurate, to sway public opinion concerning the era. Their work displayed an attempt to fulfill the need to document what was taking place and the desire to influence what needed to be done.
This photo had global ramifications, and as what is arguably the most famous cover photo in journalism, it opened the world’s eyes to the soul and struggle of the afghan people during a time of war and suppression. The young girl is the center of the frame. Her eyes are the main focus of the image, speaking to the audience about the horrific things she has been through during the soviet occupation. Her eyes are the primary center of the photo, dim green on the outside and blurring internal to a light hazel. Something is past her eyes; her intense soul appears to pierce through to your own. Her eyes look where it counts into your extremely center, requesting understanding. Those eyes are a cry for help to let everyone know what the Soviet Union did to her people. Her innocence, although damaged, can still be seen peaking through her bright eyes. A green foundation complements her green eyes. Her dark hair is brushed far from her eyes with just a solitary strand falling over her cleared out eye. Her skin is tanned from spending her days in the sun and is marginally grimy. The lighting is low and delicate, strengthening and bringing on her eyes to pop. The sun is behind the camera shedding her face for the most part in the light. The left half of her face is faintly darker than the rest, making one accept that the sun was to one side. The green working behind her serves as an edge that matches the external edge of her green eyes, adding to their
The role of photography is questioned; he asks, what about photography makes it a valid medium? We read about the operator (the photographer), spectrum (the subject) and spectator (the viewer), also about the stimulus (what we see in the photograph) and the punctum (the unclassifiable, the thing that makes the photograph important to the viewer). According to Barthes, the photograph is an adventure for the viewer, but it is ultimately death, the recording of something that will be dead after the picture is taken. This idea is the main focus of Barthes’ writing, the photograph “that-has-been”, in Latin “interfuit: what I see has been here, in this place which extends between infinity and the subject; it has been here, and yet immediately separated; it has been absolutely, irrefutably present, and yet already deferred” (Barthes, 76).... ...
Against a bleak backdrop, U.S troops stand thrusting an American flag into the grey skies. The shards of wreckage at their feet speak of the arduous journey these soldiers had taken to reach the summit of the mountain. Despite the grim setting on the ground, the American flag waves on in a perfect manner swaying along with the wind gusts. As a photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal in 1945, this image of U.S troops raising a flag in Iwo Jima during World War II served as a symbol of hope and victory for the American public during the gruesome end to war. The photograph earned Rosenthal a Pulitzer Prize, and showed the extant of the power of a photograph to elicit emotion from an audience. These emotions have the ability to affect ones’ perception towards what the photograph is depicting. However, if these photographs can produce an emotional response, is it possible for them to steer the perception of the audience in a desired direction? If so, is there a way for one to sift through the possible propaganda?
Some people may have the same or similar interpretation but as a whole group of people, it is different. The artist whom took painted or drew the piece most likely had a different perspective than the audience. Every moment is different from the present or past. When an artist is creating their artwork, their interpretation can be different than their views a few years ago. Capturing the picture at a certain point in time can be powerful because it shows what the feelings, interpretations, emotions that were expressed at that time. These emotions translate to what the artist chooses to put in their piece, which can be very powerful. In this short essay, “Every Portrait Tells a Lie” by Debra Brehmer, she says “The portrait, in the choices the artist makes, alludes to the fact that who we are involved selection, interpretation, and chance.” (386) Brehmer makes an excellent point that the artist has the control to choose what goes into their piece. The artist can choose to include what they want into their piece, like a person, a plant, and etcetera. In the book The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the artist, Basil Howard claims that another character, Dorian Gray, is his muse. Basil paints a portrait of Dorian and this indicates how much power Basil has over the portrait. Basil has the power to choose what goes into the painting and how Basil wants to paint Dorian. Taking or painting a photo shows how much power the artist has because of their interpretation when taking the photo and their decision of what goes into the photo. The choice is completely up to the artist, which makes taking photos such a powerful
“At the Gellert Baths,” is written in first person except every place that “I” could be used, it is replaced by “you.” This seems to make the story more personal, allowing the audience to experience the speaker’s desire for risk in a world of fear dominated by the daughter and her parents. The use of the word survivor several times on nearly every page emphasizes that there is still a sense of relief and celebration after over 50 years after the holocaust, as if the wife and daughter went through this trauma with the father. This touches on the idea of marriage, that by agreeing to spend eternity with another person you are also accepting their baggage. The tone of the story precedent to and following the trip to Hungary is also significant. In the beginning of the story, the parents are hesitant of taking the trip because they do not wish to relive the fathers past and bring back holocaust memories. They speaker also has objections to the trip because he wishes to utilize the vacation time in a more personal and romantic fashion for his wife and himself. He does not believe the mother and father will ever adjust from a fearful to passive attitude. Traveling to Hungary is what eventually unites all the characters. Following the excursion, the tone shifts from fearful and allusive to pleasant and peaceful. “Before you return to the dressing room the
Photography is defined at the art or practice of taking and processing photographs. To understand photography is having insight or good judgment to know how to take the picture, but also edit it if need be. Does photography limit our understanding of the world? What some people haven’t realized is that photography is all around us, whether it is in the person’s mind to see it or not. While we see photography throughout our daily routine, people dismiss the small types of photography and focus on the bigger sceneries like other countries beautiful cities and landscapes. It’s true that in this day and age, most photographs we see have been altered in some way. When photographers use Photoshop to edit our photos, we use many different ways to make that image appealing to the eye. Although, photographers unless told to do so will not change an image into something totally absurd that takes away from being astatically pleasing. Images are a gateway to the insight of the rest of the world’s cultures landscapes, and architecture, and photography is the key aspect to it. Photography is a one way to see the world, but it is better if you go and travel around the world to see it. In order to see if photography actually limits our understanding, we have to first look at the positive side of photography.
In "This is a Photograph of Me," inspite of the easy assurances of the speaker that we will see her picture, it is clear as the poem develops and the speaker reveals her true identity as a dead person that the clarity she seems to promise never emerges. The challenges in establishing a sense of identity are portrayed in the speaker's description of what the viewer will see as they look at the photo to begin with:
One of the first things to come alive to me was the picture of the young girl or old woman, depending on the viewer’s perspective. I had seen this picture several times before but because the book first presented a picture more skewed toward the younger girl than the older woman, when I looked at the “dual” picture, the young girl was all I could see. I had to look at the picture more skewed to the old woman before I could retrain my eyes to see the old woman.
When going for a walk, a person takes in the beauty around them. On this particular day, the refulgent sun is extra bright, making the sky a perfect blue. White, puffy clouds fill the sky, slowing moving at their own pace. The wind is peacefully calm, making the trees stand tall and proud. There is no humidity in the air. As this person walks down the road, they see a deer with her two fawns. The moment is absolutely beautiful. Moments like this happen only once in a great while, making us wanting to stay in the particular moment forever. Unfortunately, time moves on, but only if there were some way to capture the day’s magnificence. Thanks to Joseph Niépce, we can now capture these moments and others that take our breath away. The invention of the camera and its many makeovers has changed the art of photography.
Have you ever seen a painting or picture that captivates you and directly stirs up emotion within you? More than likely, you have. Usually, viewers merely observe the picture and enjoy the way it looks and how it makes them feel. But, have you ever asked yourself, “why?” What about the picture makes it pleasing to the viewer? With each strategy the photographer uses creates their own touch and passion that floods all over the picture. The emotional connection nearly goes unnoticed for when the picture is well photographed, the viewers experience the sensation in their subconscious. This is one of the most powerful tools that a photographer holds in their hands. If one can become a master of manipulating how the photo affects its viewers, the said photographer can potentially maneuver people’s minds and thoughts with one click of a button. The time spent with my mentor has opened up the door for me to tap into that power though the use of background, focus, shutter speed, angles, and most importantly, lighting. Even with all these techniques, the person behind the camera must remember that creativity must be at the forefront of all operations. Caleno (2014), when writing about the basics of capturing a beautiful moment in a picture commented, “If we want to be creative we must drop these pre-conceptions and start looking at things from a small child’s innocence.”
Photojournalism is a specific form of journalism that employs the use of images to form a news story that meaningfully contributes to the media. This allows a photographer to capture stills that tell the story of a moment in time. Photojournalism creates a transparency between the media and the people as it depicts an accurate representation where meaning can be misinterpreted through text. Photojournalism largely contributes to the way we understand the reality of a moment. Becker (1982) supports this concept as he compares photography to paintings. He says that paintings get their meaning from the painters, collectors, critics, and curators; therefore photographs get their meaning from the way people understand them and use them. Photojournalist’s
What do you consider art? Paintings, sculptures, drawings, or maybe something else. I know, when I think of art, I think of photography. Photography Is used for business, science, manufacturing, art, recreational purposes, mass communication, and more. Photography is using light to do amazing things, and some people think of photography as a story that just needs to be told. Ansel Adams probably believed this. He said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Photography has a long interesting history, like the fact that the word photography is made up of two greek words, photos meaning ‘light’ and graphein which is ‘to draw’ ! Photography also has some complicated techniques to get a hang of taking good photos. Have you heard of the rule of thirds? Or do you know how a camera works? Well, that will all be explained. Maybe, by the end you will take up photography too. This essay will explore the history and types of cameras and the basic rules for taking photographs.
Taking photographs and photography itself is a great tool of power in many different aspects of life that one might not realize day to day. Photography has the power to reveal things that if expressed in words, would cease to be as powerful a truth. It serves as evidence of something larger. Yes, photos can be manipulated- yet because they can it makes the viewer even more cautious and observant on the details of these photos. Taking pictures is so much more than what it is painted to be on the surface. It is not always superficial and inconsequential. If you look deeper into the photo meaning and the details about the photos’ source, you observe things you would have never seen otherwise, like the slight hint of sorrow on her face, the contradiction in human ability, and the subtle external truths about the reason we do things, such as take pictures.