A photograph is a two-dimensional still, usually consisting of an object, person or landscape. Most people take to looking at a photograph because of it's appeal and can approach one easily.
They initially view it through their own “assumptions and expectations” and ideologies of the world and culture, and they assume that everyone else sees these things the same way.
Clarke claims that to truly understand and view and image properly, a reader needs to discover the photograph's hidden language; the “codes which involves it's own grammar and syntax”. At this point a reader reaches a “photographic discourse”, achieved through recognising the differences and “often contradicting relationship” that occurs between the reader and the image.
Clarke discusses the language of a photograph similarly to a novel, where the writing involves denotations and connotations that have been captured and purposely created by the writer who in this case is the photographer.
The denotations of an image is the “literal meaning and significance of any element”. Every aspect is what it is and just gives aesthetic quality and detail.
Clarke refers to Barthes (in Camera Lucinda) and uses his term studium as a further understanding of the process. Studium meaning that the reader has recognised these objects and that this is a reaction to the photograph's appeal.
Acknowledging these leads to the next level of understanding, realising the connotations behind these objects, expressions and gestures. The fact that they have a deeper meaning.
According to Barthe's “further distinction” this is the punctum stage - “a sting, speck, cut... allows the formation of a critical reading”.
The reader now realising the connotations and acknowledging the disruption it is causing to the initial reading, but letting fourth the new and “critical understanding... once we have discovered our punctum we become, irredeemably, active readers”.
Clarke also states that it is the photograph's view that is being read. It is like a script that they have written, moulded and made up by their own opinions, feeling and views of the world and what is happening right in front of their lens. They can reveal as much or as little, manipulating the image to how they see it, sometimes even producing a contradicting view to a reader's ideology.
Luchezar Boyadijev – Visual Operative
On first reading this image, I see a couple and a separate man moving somewhere, outside, in what could be a city. I then begin to see the denotations and see the shop window with mannequins dressed in lavish looking clothing. I see the separate man is moving a chestnut warmer.
I then see the connotations and the punctums created from these visuals. That the couple in the foreground are well dressed facing the shop window, backs turned away from the separate man, who is exactly that – separate. He is dressed in what seems like a working outfit (very differently from the couple's outfit) and so appears he works at the chestnut warmer on the street.
The window appear to be to a shop, but it is not quite clear as no entrance is in the image and the pillars either side, with expensive looking lanterns make it appear like it's a house.
The photographer has the separate man by himself and coming out of the shot, possibly showing his lack of importance in this world, whereas the couple and window take up two thirds and their backs turned could be the photographer's portrayal of dismissive behaviour to a labourer who is working on the streets.
