In
a bid to avoid looking at gruesome images of emergencies, I decided to take a
look at Judith Williamson’s work on decoding advertisements. Encouraged to
consider why the image below might work in an ad for a health product, I began
to consider each individual element. Williamson discusses the handshake as
being the ‘punctum’ of the image. Barthes describes the punctum as the rare
detail which draws us to an image; which moves us on from liking the image to
loving it.
Although there is no doubt that the handshake is
the punctum and the lab coat, stethoscope and clipboard the signifiers, I was
compelled to consider the other elements of this image. Having been created for
purpose, I would suspect that nothing entered the shot without careful
consideration.
I began with the room; almost white walls
signify all important cleanliness, the hint of colour giving a warm, friendly
feel. The colour continues to the shelving and files, showing order and
organisation, this is followed up with the addition of a clock – well, we’ve
all been kept waiting longer than we’d like for medical appointments. Ten past
ten, hands balanced aesthetically and it’s mid-morning, a time when most are
feeling fresh. The certificate on the wall balances the clock while symbolising
professionalism.
I found the doctor interesting; the short hair
and glasses give a professional appearance but I feel a human element has been
added. The choice of pale blue shirt (matching the clipboard) with a shiny
striped grey tie show an individual style, backed up by the goatee beard. These
latter elements go as far as to make the medic clearly more notable than the
client who is dressed in an insignificant grey shirt. In fact the only parts of
the client that stand out to me are the parts which show connection, namely the
handshake and the clear eye contact leading back to the smiling, welcoming face
of the doctor.
I have limited experience in the world of ‘set
up’ photography so taking the time to consider the work that goes into this
genre has been interesting for me. I find it quite remarkable just how much
thought goes into the generation of a single image.
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