Photography

‘Text is used to influence our emotions’... how?

Text is a powerful tool within visual communication; it can make or break a piece of work. Sometimes text helps to convey a message and other times the use of just the image alone can make an even more dominant statement itself

Depending upon the purpose of an image, text can be vital as it adds much more understanding.

This image of a young woman seems completely ordinary as it is, the fact that the image is in black and white combined with the expression on her  face only allows us to believe she is unhappy for some reason, but that is all that is given away, until text is brought into play. The ideology behind it is completely turned on its head, and we’re forced as an audience to understand its revealed purpose.

Similar to the image blow, at first glance the image seems quite bizarre in what it is trying to convey. Those who are familiar with the film ‘Juno’ will recognise the pregnant girl sitting on the chair. Ellen Page plays a confident and very strong mined girl who falls pregnant at a young age. Her dilemma?... finding capable parents to foster the child.

The message becomes clear and can almost shock the audience at first.

How can text change the meaning of an image?

Within photography, I think it’s vital for a photographer to ‘capture the moment’ as the photograph has to speak for itself. Capturing the atmosphere, essence and over all vibe of a place is what makes a good picture.

On the other hand, combining text with photography allows the image itself to convey perhaps a less obvious purpose because the text acts as an anchor, giving explanation of what the picture is conveying.

 Using text with or alongside an image can also change its purpose or the photographers intended meaning. This can be done in different ways, for example...

The red fence would just be ‘a red fence’ if it wasn’t for the graffiti but the wording acts as a voice, perhaps the voice of the photographer. The photograph is now personal to someone, it’s no longer ‘just a fence’.

This photograph without text would look like an ordinary door mat but the text which is added to it changes the meaning and makes it humorous. The purpose of the photograph depends upon the intended audience.