A title given by a photographer may direct his viewer in a particular direction, but without the limitations of a title, a viewer may discover meaning which was only subliminally apparent to the photographer. Titles also serve to direct and/or mislead. If I have to be told what the meaning of a print is via a title, I wonder if the photographer is certain of his message. And I know of several professional competitions in which the title of the print is actually part of the judging process. Many contests require that the photographer name her image as part of the process of entering. Or, what’s even more exciting, we may find new meaning in the image as we grow emotionally and experience it in a fresh, new way.Ī part of the issue surrounding meaning is the controversy over whether an image should be titled. Our ability to connect with an image emotionally entices us to keep coming back to an image over and over again in order to repeat the emotion. It’ll remain on exhibition for a few months and then be taken down or simply ignored as part of the background blur of our lives. These may be processed to resist aging in preparation for archival preservation, but they won’t stand the test of time on anyone’s wall–except, perhaps, the photographer’s own.įor, without an emotional connection to the image, we’ll grow weary of it. In judging contests and exhibits, I’ve seen many prints that are technically well done, but lack depth of meaning. It’s what separates a good photographer from a mediocre one. It’s a challenge to create images with meaning. The former may send the message of hopelessness or depression, the latter a message of intimacy or friendship. Placing the subject low and surrounded by a large amount of negative space sends a different message than cropping it close. Placement of the subject within the viewfinder can have profound effects on the meaning. Learn how composition can affect meaning. REMEMBER THAT BELOVED SUNSET OR SUNRISE YOU HAVE–SO EXCELLENTLY CAPTURED, SO EXPERTLY PRINTED AND FRAMED–MAY BE JUST ANOTHER SUNSET TO SOMEONE ELSE. Or, do your images convey a more universal meaning that will inspire emotional response in others? It helps to gather feedback from a trusted friend. Ask yourself, “Do I like my images because they have a certain emotional appeal to me alone?” A special vacation shot or a picture of your grand kids, might be an example. You should keep this exclusivity in mind when editing your own pictures. So, pictures of them don’t mean much to you. You didn’t share the experience of buying food from a street vendor or smell the smells of the urban neighborhoods. After all, it was their trip to Borneo, not yours. What makes that dreaded slide show your uncle pulls out every time you visit so boring is that while it has tons of associations for him and your aunt, it has none for you. “Unless you take photographs strictly for yourself, you probably like to share your images with others. Here’s the article just the way I found it: If you are the author or know who she is, please let me know so I can credit it properly. I would have loved to credit it to her/him as I find it a great read. Unfortunately, I failed to write down the name of the woman or man who wrote it, and now I can’t locate the article again. Here’s an interesting article I found on the ‘information highway” I thought I would share with all of you.
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