Pictures Have Feeling,too.

Imagine yourself reading a book with full of text and words that has the minimum space for you to breathe in, do you sometimes yearn for a picture, or maybe an illustration to refresh your mind?

I am a person who likes to indulge myself in the world of picture besides than reading from the text. Kress and Leeuwen (1996) have pointed out that in today’s world we are moving towards a decade that has a decrease control of language in the public media and increase importance in visual communication. As time goes by, I felt the changing flow of picture as a single photograph is gaining power to express and bring out a message without the existence of word side by side.

'The Power of Photograph', a media report by Funnel has expanded on my discussion about photography and its potential to create an impact among audiences. The interviewee, Sonja Heizman is a photojournalist who specializes in taking multifaceted photos of war, and expresses his view on the manipulation of media to distort the intended message of the picture.Photograph can produce own message based on the photographer himself or herself when they are driven by the situation of the scene to create an interpretation for the world to understand (Socialism.org, 2000).


 

Picture that speaks right through your heart

(image source: http://www.hopefoundation.co.nz/)

However, it is a different situation for audience to interpret the picture. Oakley (2005) has stated that human beings construct a mental space when they look at a picture whereby the brain is undergoing a thinking process to explain the meaning of the picture. Therefore, how a person look at meaning of a photograph will vary from others based on their past experiences and cultural background, imposing a challenge to photographer to create a common ground for viewers by taking pictures that speak directly to the audience.

When we move along in this world that bombarded us with so much of simulation in a day, visual medium is a way for everyone to see through the eyes of picture and create an impact in our daily life. 

Reference:

Funnell, A 2008, The Power of Photograph, Media Report, viewed 8th November 2008, < http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2051819.htm>

Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1996, Reading images: the grammar of visual design,
‘Chapter 1:The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication’, pp 15-42, Routledge, NY. 

Oakley, Todd 2005, ‘Implied narratives in medical practice,’ in Language & Literature, vol. 14, no. 3, p.295-310

Socialismtoday.org 2000, The Power of Photography, Monthly Journal, Issue 50, viewed 8th November 2008, < http://www.socialismtoday.org/50/photography.html>