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12/23/2002 10:48:27 PM · #1 |
How much thought do you give to symbolism in your shots? Is it a main concern, minor, or an afterthought? Better yet how do you think the voting public would receive a symbolic piece?
Food for thought.
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12/23/2002 11:24:15 PM · #2 |
| I usually try to give it quite a bit of thought. I think the "voting public" doesn't seem vote highly on photos which rely on symbolism or metaphor. |
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12/23/2002 11:38:06 PM · #3 |
What exactly do you mean when you say "symbolism". I want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. I personally like symbolism. And it can get a point across without coming right out and saying it. Let's just make sure we are on the same track.
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12/23/2002 11:49:23 PM · #4 |
| Just about zip, zero, none. I'm a pretty much what you see is what you get kinda guy. I've found that people tend to find enough hidden messages, without me having to add any. (I watched the Sixth Sense, and only later did I read a story about all the visual symbolism. Then I watched The Mexican. The long red light, I was sure would come to symbolise something. Looked for it and tried to anticipate what would happen next all the way through the movie. To paraphrase Freud, "Sometimes a stop light, is only a stop light.") |
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12/23/2002 11:56:43 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by PTLParsons:
What exactly do you mean when you say "symbolism". I want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. I personally like symbolism. And it can get a point across without coming right out and saying it. Let's just make sure we are on the same track. |
Well, I ask this because I thought my latest submission was a symbolic piece... my terribly low score tells me I didn't do such a good job with it.
But I think you understand what I'm asking. A photo can say a lot by it's elements... without it being spelled out. Remember that photo of an apple with two towers peeled down? The Big Apple Really nice picture event hough the meaning is easier to see... the falling peel (the fallen towers), the apple (New York). It could have still been on the vine to symbolize that the apple is still alive... surviving.
A photo with more meaning than what's obvious.
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12/24/2002 12:31:01 AM · #6 |
Symbolism is important in photographs, a photo can tell a story if you do a good job with it (I'm not so great at it myself... but some people here are.) It's hard to take a photo and turn the image into words. You have to consider the audiance, and here people are looking at a couple hundred pictures back to back voting on them, so if you want a symbolic picture to do well, it should also stand well on its own as well. Its message would have to be delivered quick, and be unmistakable. I've attempted to do symbolic pictures, and I'll show them to friends and family who I have as a captive audiance and force them to give me their interpretation of the shot. I've yet to do this successfully, I never hear what I want, at least not completely.
What the photographer sees as a subtle hint at something will almost always be overlooked by most of the people who look at the shot. Some will see it, some will appreciate, and a few will go "hmmm" when they do see it. That to me makes it worth it, but as far as votes? The shots that involve a higher level of artistic appreciation, or interpretion tend to be voted lower overall, unless the shot itself is really well done, or the symbolism is very very clear and hard to miss.
Overall I like the shots that make you think, I'm sure I miss out on a lot of what people are trying to communicate through their pictures for shots that aren't as appealing, or not of better quality. I vote on the picture overall, my own opinion of the subject plays a part, as well as the technicality of the image. Any flaws will take away from the overall appearance, and the vote goes down. The shots that I catch symbolism might get a bonus point even if the picture has major flaws though.
The big apple picture is a good example of a picture that the symbolism can't be missed in.
Message edited by author 2002-12-24 00:36:01. |
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12/24/2002 12:44:30 AM · #7 |
I thought that was what you meant. In my opinion it was too subtle and went over everyones head. Had you stuck an american flag in it they would have jumped on top of it and your score would have been much higher. I think the degree of subtleness is what determines the score. If they have to think too hard they won't. And I must admit I'm pretty much the same way. First we look at the photo for the obvious. When we don't see it immediately the score starts dropping. the sooner we see it the higher the score goes back up. I think this is human nature. It has to do with pride...no one likes to be made to feel stupid, so if they can't figure it out they blame the photographer. I hate to admit it but I missed this one. I apologize. As soon as you said it I slapped my head and said "duh!" Don't look for high scores on these. Look for the comments on the quality of your photography abilities. That's about the best you can expect.
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