Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Exercise: Symbols

For this exercise, i had to find more than one symbol for the following subjects, and suggest how i might use them in a photograph.
The subjects are as follows;

Growth

The process of increasing in size.
Something that in grown or is growing.

Symbols may include a plant, perhaps a young seedling. This is the first thing that comes to mind for me when thinking of growth.
A child could also be used as a symbol. This could be photographed with a child measuring themselves on a heigh chart.

Excess

An amount of something which is more what is necessary, permitted or desirable. 
A lack of moderation, especially in eating or drinking.

When i think over excess, i think of overindulgence, such as a large roman feast.
Symbols of this could be a photograph of a large amount of food, a feast.
An over weight person, perhaps holding or bearing their stomach

Crime

An action or omission which constitutes an offence and is punishable by law

Symbols for this could be handcuffs, a police officer, a finger print perhaps.
If i had to take a photograph for this symbol, an idea would be taking a close up of a persons hands in handcuffs, as if being arrested.

Silience

Complete absence of sound.

A symbol for his could be somebody with their mouth taped/zipped/covered up with an object or a hand. An empty rural scene. Perhaps containing a lone person. Or a visible place within the scene where a person could be eg. an empty bench, an empty still rowing boat on a lake etc. Maybe even a picture of a pin dropping.
If i was to take a photograph for this, i would take a portrait of a person with their hand over their mouth.

Poverty

The state of being extremely poor

When i think of poverty, i think of the malnourished children in Africa living in complete poverty. Perhaps due to the high levels of advertisement and charities we see on the television each day.
Unfortunately living in England, the children living in poverty in a different country are difficult to photograph.
Other symbols and possible photographs I could take are of homeless people in this country, sitting on the side of the road. Orphans, food bank, ragged clothing, hands holding an empty bowl or cupped together as if asking for an offering.

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