Picture essays
often use text in order to enhance a story in a variety of ways. Roland Barthes
in his essay ‘Rhetoric of the image’ defines two terms, anchor and relay as
different methods of using text alongside an image.
The term ‘anchor’
is used to describe the method of using text to control meaning in an image.
This practice is more likely to be used in advertising or by newspapers in
order to fix the meaning of the image to fit their political slant. This can be
fairly harmless, although use by extreme political groups can be quite
destructive. In the following image, a tabloid newspaper has produced an
article about an asylum seeking family being given an expensive house.
This type of
article with its bold, anger inducing text can have a large impact on the way
people feel about subjects such as immigration. A far right group has then
magnified the issue by coupling the article with an image of a British
pensioner counting her pennies. The accompanying text that this group have used
has since been proven to be incorrect but with the aid of social media, the
message is widespread among people who may not, for whatever reason dig deeper
in order to discover the truth.
The term ‘relay’
is used to define text that has equal status with the image. In line with
postmodern narrative, this method uses text to create a fuller picture that
allows space for the viewer’s own interpretation. On seeing the following image
in Briony Campbell’s ‘The Dad Project’, I was unsure of its purpose.
I couldn’t be a photographer when this happened, I was a daughter. After
I’d swept up the glass I paused, for what felt like a long while, before
managing to photograph the milkshake stain. Perhaps I’d proved (to myself or my
parents? I’m not sure which was the necessity) that I was a daughter before a
photographer.
The accompanying
text gives an insight into Campbell’s thoughts and feelings at the time. It is
difficult to decide in this case which holds the more importance, the image or
the text. I considered Campbell’s predicament and how it made me feel. I
remembered this project as I went with family members to visit the site of my
step dad’s ashes; I wanted to record the visit for prosperity, yet felt torn
between collecting images and just feeling the moment. In her text, Campbell
doesn’t tell anyone to feel a particular way; she merely encourages the viewer
to explore their own feelings on their own story.
In order to
explore the effects of anchor and relay, I have used some existing images from
newspapers and magazines to which I will add my own text.
‘School children
across the UK collect their GCSE results’
The text that
appears with the image above definitely provides an anchor in that it tells us
why the girls are looking at their papers; they have picked up their GCSE
results. I do feel, however that this text lies in the cross over between
anchor and relay as there is still much open to interpretation; why are the
girls smiling? Is there a general increase in GCSE passes? Is there a reason
for the increase?
Creating my own
captions for this image, I have used an advertising slogan to convey an example
of anchorage:
‘GCSE results soar due to new wonder drug
– INTELLIRAISE’
An example of
relay text for this image could be:
‘Suzie’s friends seemed much happier with
their results.’
‘Asbaby makes a
reputation for himself on the River Cam’
The text
accompanying this image, I would say is an example of relay. It provides an
amusing narrative, yet doesn’t really give any fixed information as to what the
swan is doing. Reading further into the article, I discovered that the swan,
‘Asbaby’ has been pecking at boaters on the River Cam, furthermore, he is a
descendant of another swan whom has previously been removed from the river for
attacking people.
An example of
anchoring text for this image could be:
‘Comedian swan, Asbaby has punters in
stitches in his riverside show!’
UNDER PRESSURE:
Hospitals’ limited resources are stretched to the absolute limit
[GETTY: Pic
posed by model]
A posed
photograph has been used for this particular article, which is unusual for a
news story. We usually think of the news as highlighting life as it happens
with images straight from the scene; it is often the images that confirm in our
minds that the news story is in fact true. Had this image not been set up, the
text would have served as an anchor to provide a definite meaning and a reason
as to why the medic appears to be tired. The fact that the image has been
created to back up the text puts a different slant on things; is the image an anchor
to the text in this case?
In reality,
although the photographer has stated that this image is posed, it is not that
far removed from the many requested images, which appear in the press every
day. In any newsworthy situation, photographers are expected to seek out
particular scenes to back up the political slant of their newspaper. Most
commonly in the news, the text works to further back up the image that has been
requested.
My relay caption
for this image would be:
'Terry made a vow
to never drink Jager-bombs again.’
We do not know
who Terry is or why he has made this vow; is he a medic with a hangover or is
he a man whose fancy dress party has, for some reason led him to a hospital? The
ambiguity of the text allows for various interpretations in line with a postmodern
narrative.
Links:
Pensioner story: http://www.houlden.org/2013/04/why-the-asylum-seeker-gets-2m-house-while-pensioner-starves-on-6k-a-year-meme-is-total-bollocks/
The Dad Project: http://www.brionycampbell.com/projects/the-dad-project/
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