Exercise 40: Symbols

This is a conceptual exercise that does not require the production of images.  We are asked to think of one symbol for each of the following concepts, with notes about how they might be used in photographs.  The purpose here, I believe, is to demonstrate how difficult it is to think of original ways of conveying such concepts as images.  Our visual thinking is as uninformed and cliched as our conceptual thinking.

Following are some ideas, along with a few photos scavenged from the web.

GROWTH

Growth:

1. Kudzu covering a building 
2. An old person holding a baby
3. Children's books next to adult books

EXCESS

Excess:  (This is a good one for Dubai.)

1. A handbag with 3 or 4 mobile phones
2. An overweight family feasting on fast food
3. Banquet leftovers
4. A house with  10 cars parked out front (representing not a family event but the family's car collection)

CRIME

Crime:  The media typically makes a big deal about petty crime but ignores corporate crime affecting thousands, even millions.

1. Line of applicants at unemployment office
2. Line of people at ATM trying to recover their money from a failed bank
3. Dead wildlife covered in oil spill
4. Sick person being turned away from a hospital

SILENCE

Silence

1. A meditator, or a room of meditators
2. Wide shot of the desert
3. Broken musical instrument
4. Library interior with people studying

POVERTY

Poverty

1.  Eating out of trash bins
2.  Living in landfills
3.  A homeless person sleeping rough

#