In my opinion, a photograph can be as many things as one person interprets it. It can be a story, a single and captured moment in time, a description of one’s emotions or opinions, or a source of evidence and memories. When I go about taking pictures for photography class, I rarely ever think about taking photographs for evidence or memories. The only time that I do this is when I’m using a digital camera on a vacation or with friends in a place that is special to me. For photography class, it depends on what type of mood I am in. If I am feeling very happy, I will capture a photograph that represents joy such as the sun shining through the trees or a person jumping freely over something. However, it is very rare that I photograph people smiling, even if they are simply laughing or enjoying themselves. I like to communicate happiness in a way of symbolism, by photographing things that represent happiness rather than literally showing a happy person. On the contrary, if I am in a sad mood, I will not hesitate to take a very depressing picture. To me, a depressing picture isn’t so much sad as it is calming, and I somewhat enjoy them. I try to depict a meaning that is anything but literal when I shoot my film for photography class by telling a story, showing a single moment, or describing one’s emotions.
To tell a story in a photograph, there must be some form of depth and detail to the picture. For example, a photograph of a cat with an unaffected, solemn expression on its face would not make for a good story. If the photograph had been of a cat running away with sincere fear, then one can predict that perhaps the cat is abused, or maybe was just startled by something. A picture with more going on is also great for one that tells a story. The viewer can look at each aspect of the picture to create a story in his or her mind.
To show a single moment in time is difficult since the viewer will subconsciously make up a story in their mind as they look at the photograph. A picture of a man jumping off of a cliff and into the sea is a good example. It is true that one can say that the man was maybe committing suicide or just decided to go cliff diving, but those would not make for very long-lasting stories. In my mind, the capture of this moment would be to symbolize a sense of freedom and carelessness, just in the moment that the photograph was taken. Captures like these can be sometimes less interesting or not as in-depth as the ones that tell stories, but they are great for revealing the true expressions and intensities in a given moment.
Photographs are great for revealing emotions in people, both the subject and the photographer. If a boy is crying, I can take a picture as evidence for his grief. If a boy is laughing, that picture would illuminate his happiness at the moment. Evidently, showing one’s emotions in a photograph can be quite simple. However, depicting the mood, emotion, or vision that the photographer had when taking the photograph can be more complex. If he or she photographs a long and seemingly endless walking bridge from the pedestrian’s point of view, who is to say that it is a happy or sad picture? Is it an emotion at all? Or is the photographer just trying to communicate a vision or idea? These questions are all up to the viewer of the photograph.
A photograph can be anything that either the photographer or the viewer wants it to be, whether it be a source of evidence, show of emotions, telling a story, or just capturing a moment in time.
