'"...the text constitutes a parasitic message designed to connote the [photographic] image, to ‘quicken’ it with one or more second-order signifieds. In other words, and this is an important historical reversal, the image no longer illustrates the words; it is now the words which, structurally, are parasitic on the image."
(BARTHES, 1977: 25)
Words and photographs are used to portray a message which can carry a denoted and connotated meaning. The denoted meaning refers to the subject in a literal sense, whilst the connotated meaning is used to portray an idea or feeling that a word invokes, in addition to its literal meaning for example, ‘discipline’ has unhappy connotations of punishment and control.
The relationship between words and photographs can be a powerful tool to convey meaning, but there are some important considerations to make when captioning photographs.
Titles and captions can give context to an image, aiding the viewer to decipher the depicted message, they can also be used to disrupt how we read a photograph, as portrayed by Francis Frith in his image of a smoke-filled, industrial Britain, ironically captioned 'O Beautiful, My Country!'
However, overuse of the written word has the potential to detract from the ‘reading’ of the photograph. For me, part of the joy of viewing a photograph is to take in the scene, drawing on my personal experiences to interpret what has been presented, and forming my own relationship with that image. An over-descriptive caption can remove the need for such interpretation and disrupts the viewers’ opportunity to form their own connection to that image.
“A photograph that strives to provide a single answer intimates its own manipulation; one that provokes questions, whether intentionally or not, better allows the viewer to engage with the subject and become, in a sense, the photographer’s collaborator in his or her inquiry.”
RITCHIN, 2013: 48
This has led me to examine the role of supporting text within my own practice. I am currently working on a project which highlights the importance of providing space for wildlife to thrive on a productive farm. My initial notion would be to combine words and images in equal weight. An informative, descriptive caption detailing the changes that have been made whilst the photographs are used to illustrate the results.
However, this module has led me to consider the importance I place on words within my photographic project. Can the audience be reached more effectively through the use of photographs alone? Will removing the protracted description of what they are seeing allow them the time and place of mind to form their own connections, forming a deeper relationship with my work based on their own feelings and experiences?
Or is the background information a vital part of portraying the issue in its entirety? Is it possible that the message could be lost without the additional background information?
I think this is an important factor to consider throughout the construction of my project and indeed my work going forward.
References
BARTHES, R. (1977). Image-Music-Text. London: Fontana.
RITCHIN, F. (2013). Bending the Frame: Photojournalism, Documentary, and the Citizen. New York: Aperture
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