Symbols

This exercise is all about finding symbols for five specified concepts. It is purely a written exercise with an option to take photographs if enthusiasm overspills.

Growth:

I think for this concept, my first thought would be to use a tree. An obvious choice probably but I’ll work with it anyway. I’d use a small tree, one that had a lot of growing to do but give it a large shadow, as if it wants to grow into it. This could be achieved with very low lighting, making the shadow stretch out along the ground.

Carrying on down the vegetation route, growth could also be symbolised by a close up of a sprouted seed in a small child’s hand.

Excess:

This brings up several images in my mind to do with things people use excessively; alcohol, food, money, tobacco, drugs are just a few examples. Obvious choices would be either to show images of people taking part in these activities or showing the after effects. I think with the word being ‘excess’, exaggeration works well.

One idea could be a man drinking a can of beer, looking up at a mountain of beer crates with a big, satisfied grin on his face.

An after effects shot would just show the ugly side of excessive drinking; a woman slouched on a kerb, bottle in hand with snagged tights and smudged make up.

Crime:

Evidence of crime: a smashed window next to a door, left ajar after someone has just broken in.

A simpler symbol would be a pair of handcuffs.

Silence:

Silence could be symbolised by a large lake with the shot taken using a slow shutter speed to create a still, milky effect. A lone empty boat could add to the effect.

Going along the theme of large empty spaces, the inside of an old, empty factory could also show silence. The image would have to show that the building has been empty a long time but avoid looking so old that it could appear haunted as this would lead away from the concept of silence.

Poverty:

When I saw the word poverty, an image sprung to mind that I took a few years ago when my son had been playing in a muddy puddle. The image just showed his legs, bare feet and unevenly turned up trousers, all completely covered in mud. The image provoked thoughts of a boy from a third world country who might have walked miles for food or water. If I were going to improve on this image to fit with the concept of poverty, I would strip away the thick mud and just have grubby, stained feet with worn, tattered trousers.

Another image which would symbolise poverty is taken straight from the film ‘Oliver’. This image could either show a young, thin child or just a close up of their hands holding an empty wooden bowl as if begging.