After reading this piece of writing by Maria Short, it has given me some useful knowledge that I will be able to take with me when it comes to creating my own set of images. Short’s writing focuses on the use of signs and symbols that come with photography and the different meanings that may come with them.

Short mentions a variety of theorists and their findings. One theory I picked out was De Saussure. He defines a sign comprising of ‘signifier’ and ‘signified’. Signifier meaning the form which the sign takes and signified meaning the concept it presents.

Another theory presented by Short in this text is by Pierce who used a triadic model. These three points being ‘The representamen’, ‘An interpretant’,  and ‘an object’.

This reading of Susan Sontag’s ‘In Plato’s Cave’ points out the importance of photography. She points out several points about what makes the craft so important and why it should be respected. ‘Photographs furnish evidence’, one point reads. the fact that an image is taken and will last forever, rather than art painted that will eventually decay, means that we should respect the images and keep them safe, as they could potentially serve as evidence for something in the future.

Sontag makes an interesting point in comparing photography to objects such as a car, or a weapon. ‘Like a car, a camera is sold as a predatory weapon’. This statement gives connotations of danger. It may be enjoyable, etc, like driving a car, but there are also dangers that come with this act. A car can also serve as a weapon, having the potential to kill someone. This intensified sentence which compares photography to something as dangerous as a car, I feel, has been done to highlight just how powerful photography is and what it has the ability to capture. It can make everlasting memories but on the contrary, can ruin lives.

Another interesting point I took from this reading, was Sontag’s point on the quality of images, and what makes a good photograph. ‘When we are afraid we shoot, but when we are nostalgic, we take pictures’. This quote has quite some meaning to it which makes you think. We tend to put much more effort into something we are more interested in, instead of just ‘shooting’ a quick snap, we focus on angles, lighting, aperture, etc, giving a more clean cut and precise image.

Peter Marlow

These images by Photographer, Peter Marlow caught my eye when looking through artists for inspiration. These two images, taken in London town by and on two famous landmarks, well known as recognisable places in London, (The London Eye, and Big Ben) caught my attention due to the use of Marlow’s composition. It is clear that he has thought of the rule of three whilst capturing these images, making them more appealing to the eye, with multiple things to look at and creating an interesting outcome.

Jann Höfer

After researching a variety of different artists, I came across the work of Jann Höfer. His series of photographs titled ‘Like Wet Cement’ include a range of portrait images of different families, accompanied by a short description of each individuals occupation, hobbies, likes and dislikes, etc. I like the simplicity of this and feel as though it links well with the type of project I am about to undertake. I am going to be exploring the photography of my friends and family in my hometown, being London, and I have been inspired by photographer, Jann Höfer.