civilized ku # 50 ~ just plain civilized, or, it ain't what you eat, it's the way how you chew it.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 09:44AM 
A night out for diner at the shore • click to embiggenIt has been stated that all communication takes place the medium of signs and according to semiology (the role played by signs in the construction of meaning) photography is primarily concerned with 'iconic', 'indexical' and'symbolic' signs.
Very simply stated, iconic signs, in some way or another resemble, the object they stand for. A pictured tree, although certainly not a tree, bears a resemblance to the tree which is pictured. Indexical signs do not necessarily share a resemblance to the objects that they refer to but are nevertheless connected to it. A footprint signifies a causal relationship to human presence - we don't see the foot but its existence is signified by the footprint. Symbolic signs convey meaning through cultural convention and consensus. By convention and consensus in our culture, we all know the meaning red, yellow and green lights used to regulate traffic. These signs bear no resemblance to the things they signify.
So, here's my take on how this applies to a photograph using today's post as an example.
The photograph, as a sign, is iconic in as much the objects denoted in it truly resemble the things pictured - amongst many other things, does anyone have trouble recognizing this picture as 2 women a a table in a restaurant? The photograph, as a sign, is indexical in as much as there are visual indications of human presence that have happened or, in all probablity, will happen - amongst many other things, does anyone doubt that the near empty bottle of wine or the nearly full glasses of wine signify the act of drinking? The photograph, as a sign, is symbolic in as much as, amongst many other things, by convention and consensus, it suggests meanings of friendship, joy and pleasure.
Viewed in this manner, the picture not only only denotes the specific - my wife's best friends in a restaurant drinking wine - and has special/added meaning for her that the uninitiated viewer might not share, it also connotes through signs/symbols a somewhat universal experience that others can divine and appreciate.
Reader Comments (1)
So a question in return: are the great photos those that, even though only enjoyed for their connotation (the event/place isn't special to the viewer), have a deeper meaning denoted to the photographer? Thus, the photos that we appreciate most are those that wesense have meaning to the photographer, without necessarily knowing or understanding it.