Seminar: Denotation and Connotation

During today's seminar, we were to bring in a photograph of our choice of any realm of photographic culture and we were to answer questions regarding Roland Barthes' theory.

I picked this photograph, shot by Damon Baker of Cara Delevingne.

We then had to answer questions, in pairs, regarding the photographs we had selected. 

Part one: Denotation: What is depicted (message)

1. What is the denotation of the image (the literal/depicted content) The photograph is of a female who is modelling. It has been shot in black and white and the image has a 'messy' feel to it.

Part two: Connotation: The meaning of the image (code)

1. What is the cognitive connotation? (factual elements of the work) It is a photograph of Cara Delevingne, the supermodel, shot by Damon Baker. 
2. Are there any forms of photographic connotation at work? Yes - the pose is of Delevingne sitting against a wall, with an expressionless face and her hair is messy, and she is wearing dark makeup up.
3. Is there a linguistic message? (text/caption) No there is no message within the photograph.
4. What is the ideological/ethical connotation? ( What Barthes calls 'Myth') The photograph holds no ethical connotation but the ideological is that the photo is a Westernised style image of a female with some skin showing. She is also not wearing the typical make up or hairstyle that would enhance her beauty or to be deemed as attractive to viewers.

After finishing the first photograph, we were to look at our partners and answer the same questions. 

The photograph Georgia had selected was of Emma Watson, shot for Vanity Fair magazine by Tim Walker.

Part one: Denotation: What is depicted (message)

1. What is the denotation of the image (the literal/depicted content) The photograph is of a female, showing some skin from her torso, a pure image and she has a powerful stance.

Part two: Connotation: The meaning of the image (code)

1. What is the cognitive connotation? (factual elements of the work) It is a photograph of Emma Watson for Vanity Fair. The photographer is Tim Walker and the piece has created controversy over Watson's Feminism. 
2. Are there any forms of photographic connotation at work? Yes - the pose is of Watson is very powerful. She is staring at the camera head on and she is looking very dominant.
3. Is there a linguistic message? (text/caption) No there is no message within the photograph.
4. What is the ideological/ethical connotation? ( What Barthes calls 'Myth') The photograph has an ethical connotation regarding the controversy that it has caused. Emma Watson is a strong Feminist and people view this image of her as though she is going against the views of a Feminist - but she is not. Due to her short hairstyle viewers don't see her as the ideal female as some say that her hair is resembling a 'male' hairstyle.