The Photograph Chapter Two

The Photograph Chapter Two

“The photograph is itself the product of the photographer.” Sometimes I think we forget this when we are looking at photographs. There are certain things that the photographer wants us to get out of the photograph, and most of the time we will not get out of it what he or she intended. But it is all about expression. And the beauty of art is that everyone can get something entirely different out of it—can have a different emotional reaction to the work and really feel a bit more fulfilled. I know I compare a lot with dance, but I really think that that is the beauty of dance. Every piece has some purpose, some story to tell, and for every viewer, a different story will be told. How beautiful.

It is also interesting to note the terms denotation and connotation. Denotation is what the picture actually contains—the literal things in the photograph. Connotation is the symbolism involved in it, what the denoted things stand for; connotation can also involve things such as gesture, attitudes, and expressions. I love the picture on page 31 with the couple and the child playing in the background. The woman seems to be relaxing, to be soaking up the sun. The male seems upset or stressed out about something. His body language reminds me of a child (the way his feet are facing inward). The child in the background seems oblivious to the lives of his parents, not unlike many children today. The backyard is very large (not something impressive but something that I did notice immediately).

The way that we view a photograph is the way that we view the world in cultural terms. A different person from a different part of the country or world will see something TOTALLY different in a photograph. Who would have thought that where we live would cause a difference in the photos that we prefer?