After some time off for Reading Week , we are back to studies!
This week we looked at the relationship between words and photographs, both in terms of including images and words within a single frame, or by impressing a new meaning through titling, captioning, or other use of text.
For example, Yousuf Karsh’s iconic portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, taken after a wartime speech to Canada’s House of Commons, is one of the most famous and enduring images of the British Prime Minister.
However, the image took on a more contextualized meaning with the 2016 issue of the Bank of England’s £5 note. It did so due to the captioned quotation “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat”, from his first speech as Prime Minister on 13 May 1940 to the House of Commons.
This quote transforms Churchill’s portrait into a symbol of his wartime leadership, amplifies the emotional gravity of his resolve and determination, and rewrites the image as a visual narrative of the collective British resilience during the war. These significant layers of historical, emotional, and narrative context enhance the viewer’s understanding and appreciation of Churchill’s legacy.
With respect to my own work, the vast majority has not been formally published. However, during my LEGO photography period, I posted daily on Instagram for two years, with extensive use of titling and hashtags. Mind you, effective hash tagging is a topic unto itself, which I will not explore here.
I feel that one of my most effective titles was for this playful image: Your Powers Are Weak, Old Man.
This subversive title re-contextualises the original quote from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, spoken by Darth Vader to Obi Wan Kenobi. In this new meaning, the all-powerful Sith Lord considers the vicissitudes of time and his own waning vitality.
One instance where I feel that the title undermined one of my photographs occurred as part of the Stuck in Plastic group exhibition 2022 LEGO World Celebrate. My portrait of the 2021 LEGO Amelia Earhart Tribute set was titled Flying Solo, which I now feel understates her legacy. Pioneer, or perhaps Trailblazer, would have been more apt.
Indeed, the relationship between words and pictures is nuanced and complex, and their interplay can influence the interpretation and impact of the visual content. The question then is how we can best use this for our advantage. Can you share some great examples?
Bibliography:
ENGLAND, BANK OF. 2016. £5 Note. Available at: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/5-pound-note [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
KARSH, Estate of Yusuf. 2024. ’Winston Churchill’. 2024. Yousuf Karsh [online]. Available at: https://karsh.org/photographs/winston-churchill/ [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
LUCAS, George. 1998. Star Wars: A New Hope. : The Illustrated Screenplay. New York: Ballantine Pub. Group.
Figures:
Figure 1. Yousuf KARSH. 1941. ’Winston Churchill’. Yousuf Karsh [online]. Available at: https://karsh.org/photographs/winston-churchill/ [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
Figure 2. Bank of ENGLAND. 2016. £5 Note. [online]. Available at: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/5-pound-note [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
Figure 3. Scott MURPHY. 2022. Your Powers are Weak, Old Man. Instagram. 29 March 2022. [online]. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRqzfFULg2c/ [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
Figure 4. Scott MURPHY. 2022. Flying Solo. ‘2022-LEGO-World-Celebrate – Stuck In Plastic’. 2024. [online]. Available at: https://www.stuckinplastic.net/Exhibitions/2022-LEGO-World-Celebrate/i-XbQDHRK/A [accessed 8 Jul 2024].
Scott Murphy – Photographer 