One of the aspects of art that has always fascinated me is power of symbols. There is a truly powerful resource out there for artists to tap into, in the form of everyone else’s prior work. Funny isn’t it?
Symbols carry messages with them. They do a large amount of communicating for the artist. And what’s more, symbols have an advantage over words because whereas an opinion expressed in words will lose most of the portion of its audience who disagrees, the use of a symbol resonates just as much with those who agree with it as with those who do not.
Let’s take a look at a few examples of symbols, and consider some of the various thoughts and emotions they can evoke:
- Religious Symbols. Religious symbols of any kind can evoke a whole range of thoughts and emotions in their viewer. They have the ability to align the viewer with the subject of the photo if s/he is a member of the religion, whereas a non-believer will be aligned against the subject.
- Military Emblems. Military emblems can imply patriotism, strength, and power to those aligned with them, whereas they can at times convey ideas like oppression and injustice to those who do not.
- Corporate Logos. Many people will have many different opinions of the companies or ideas associated with a corporation and its logo.
- Historical Icons. Famous scenes, such as raising the flag over Iwo Jima, the protester in Tienanmen Square, Michael Jackson’s white glove, and Nixon’s “peace” sign all have personal meaning for the viewer.
- Real World Objects. Many items in the real-world have specific uses that convey meaning: candles can have spiritual significance; chains can indicate captivity; masks can represent anonymity, or pretense; money can symbolize power, greed, etc.
When used well, a symbol can take an average idea and make it into a truly powerful image. For instance, imagine the difference between a photo of a man pointing a gun at another man when compared to the same image if the man with the gun is also clinging tightly to his Bible. How much stronger is the emotional connection to the second image?
Similarly, how boring is the typical group photo? Everyone bunched in, arms around one another, all wearing that goofy fake smile. What if everyone posed like Charlie’s Angels? Or Michael Jackson’s Thriller?
What are some possible symbols that could be used to make your photo more interesting? Here are a few ideas…
Charlie’s Angels
Michael Jackson’s Thriller
Raising the flag over Iwo Jima
Lunch atop a skyscraper
Mona Lisa
Gabrielle d’Estrees and one of her sisters
sitting in yoga “lotus” position
the crucifixion
The Last Supper
“Air” Jordan
Michelangelo’s “David”
the Unabomber
The Statue of Liberty
Hopper’s “Nighthawks”
Rocky
A Coke and a smile
Rosie the Riveter
Does something else come to mind that you don’t see listed? Please, feel free to add it in the comments!
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