Finding Meaning in Photographs

 Photographs are made with a purpose in mind, though the intent or meaning may not be fully articulated at the time of exposure.  The meaning attributed to the resultant image may only emerge when it is processed or edited, or perhaps only after it is seen in the context of other images. In fact, meaning in photography or in any artistic expression is ultimately the product of social interaction, and it may change over time.

For amateur photographers like me who are blog authors, the construction of meaning is a central task.  The photographs displayed in blog posts, though often from a single roll film, are often the product of multiple sessions, often with little direct connections.  The challenge then is to come up with some unifying meaning which imbues the product with some appearance of intentionality.

A convenient unifying theme for me and other bloggers centers on the medium and gear used in the production of the pictures in a blog post.  The pictures are evaluated partially in terms of how they express the characteristic capabilities of the camera, the film or the processing. Here, for example is such a picture.

My Hat -- Argus A2F

I think it likely that an observer's first question on looking at the picture of my hat is why such an image was made and exhibited. Well, my answer is that the image displays very good sharpness from a camera which historically has gotten little respect since its appearance in the 1930s.  ( For me, the image also has some relevance as an example of pareidolia.)

Another convenient point of departure for identifying unifying meaning  is a focus on formalist features.  One can always talk about compositional elements and how they come together in a photograph or a group of pictures.  Line, mass, tonality and balance all contribute to a sense of meaning which is essentially visual and perhaps not easily articulated because of a common disconnect between visual perception and explanatory processes.

There are times of course when even amateurs undertake a photographic exercise with the intention of communicating specific meanings.  Portraiture is one example of that in which an attempt is being made to portray the subject's essential physical characteristics, or perhaps link them to perceived personality traits.  A similar process may be the basis for a broader view of a subject with a natural history or cultural focus. An example of that was my effort to assemble a portrait of a community through the pictures I made in New York's Chinatown in the late 1960s.

The construction of meaning through social interaction is apparent in blog posts and in pictures posted on photo sharing sites in the fact that provision is made for image-specific comments.  While the hope is most frequently that positive evaluations may be expressed, there is also an opportunity to recognize or clarify the fundamental intent or meaning behind the offered images.

I can never discuss the topic of this post without reference to the writings of Terry Barrett.  The wikipedia article on Barrett provides a very good overview of his long career a an art critic, though there is little mention of his focus on photography, expressed so well in his book, Criticizing Photographs.