Creating Meaning in Photographs

But What Does it Mean?

How does an artist create meaning in an artwork? Is it merely through the portrayal of a specific subject?

Take a look at the examples below.

In this lesson, we will explore how the aspects of photography come together to create meaning in a photograph. We will also look at how themes are created.

The Aspects

Let’s consider the other aspects of the artwork: form, function, and context. The form is all about design – the elements that make up the artwork and how the principles organize those elements, aka the composition.

What are the major elements of each of these?
What about composition – what principles organize those elements?

Media, or the materials used to make art, is also a part of the form. Each is a photograph, but one is a black and white silver gelatin print from a black and white medium format negative and the other is a color print from a color negative. How does the choice of media affect the meaning of each artwork?

But Why?

What is the function of each artwork? Why did the artist create the artwork? When critiquing art we discuss purpose – was it created to imitate life, perhaps capture a specific moment in time; to evoke emotion; for the purely aesthetic examination of the formal elements of art; to educate, or to use – such as a ceramic vase or an intricate dress?

Last, it’s important to consider the context of each artwork. It’s especially helpful for these two examples.

Vivian Mair was a nanny in the 1940s and ’50s. She created hundreds of photographs during her life but was largely unknown until 2009. Her portraits show how she wanted to be seen. Cindy Sherman has been working in photography since the late 1970s. She has created a number of series that all use her as the subject. The example, Untitled #96, is a part of the Untitled Film Stills series. These 70 photographs show the artist posed as a variety of female film tropes. Though she is the model, Sherman doesn’t see her work as self-portraits. She’s said,

“Everyone thinks these are self-portraits, but they aren’t meant to be. I just use myself as a model because I know I can push myself to extremes, make each shot as ugly or goofy or silly as possible.”

All aspects of these artworks combine to create meaning.

What do you think each of these means?

Vivian Mair Image

Self Portrait, 1954

Cindy Sherman image

This artwork was sold at auction in 2011 for $3.89 million.

Creating a Series

What is a Series?

A series is a collection of artworks with something in common with one another. Usually, they are tied together by a central theme. This allows an artist to explore several different aspects of a theme. It creates a cumulative effect when they are all exhibited together and the series itself becomes an experience.

Let’s explore Cindy Sherman’s Untitled film series. Consider the following:

What do all of the artworks have in common?
How are they different?
Why ties them all together?

Take a look at the presentation below:

*You will be selecting one of the photographs from this series when you complete your discussion for this microlesson.

Include the artwork's credit line information and analyze the four main aspects: form, function, content, and context.

Cindy Sherman’s work consists of photos depicting her in a variety of different ways. Not all self-portraits are so elaborately styled. Let’s take a look at the history of photographic self-portraiture.

The Art of Self Portraits

Video Information:

Looking back on the history of photography this phenomenon isn't just limited to people with iPhones. Successful portraits of any kind use elements of aesthetic and conceptual thinking to create works. Vivian Maier is probably the most known photographer embracing the medium but there were others as well: Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, Andreas Feininger, Richard Avedon, and many others.

Which self-portrait is the most compelling?

The project for this module requires you to create a series of self-portraits, each having a specific function:

Illustrate who you are at school
Illustrate who you are at home
Illustrate How you want to be seen

Consider the 4 main aspects of an artwork: form, function, content, and context. Many of these are determined by the requirements of the assignment: the context – the artworks fulfill a school assignment; function – each portrait has a very specific function. Form and content are partially determined, but leave room for your artistic vision. Sense of place can be an important component of the content of each of these photographs.

How does a sense of place add to a self-portrait’s meaning?

Take a look at the photographs below. In which one is a sense of place most important?

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS