Resisting Nepalese Temptations

The science of semiotics is the study of subjective meaning making on the basis of signs and symbols, and the semiotics of photography is the observation of those signs and symbols used within photography, or "reading the picture".

People communicate through the use of symbols all the time, both consciously and subconsciously. A symbol is anything that stands for something else. Usually, a symbol is a simplified image that, because of certain associations in the viewer’s mind, represents a more complex idea. Symbolism can be a powerful aid in photography; symbols are tools for sorting information and drawing inferences that can permit the communication of complex ideas with just a few simple elements.

Symbols keep the viewer’s mind busy; they seduce the viewer to complete the picture, to improve the picture, to add meaning to the picture, to emotionalize the picture, and to fantasize about the picture. According to Alfred Eisenstaedt, all the photographer has to do, is find and catch the story-telling moment; all signs and symbols are powerful triggers for that.
 

Robert Hirsch's distinctive categories of symbols, such as (i) colours, (ii) commercial, cosmic and cultural symbols, or (iii) magic, psychological and sexual symbols can be applied in portrait photography in order to get the viewer thinking about what they could represent. All these symbols are not absolute terms; they have multiple readings based on factors such as the viewer's cultural background, individual beliefs, economic status, gender identification, psychological state, political attitudes, religious convictions, and sexual preferences. Based on their set of experiences, different people give different readings and interpretations...

"However expressive, symbols can never be the things they stand for."

(Aldous Huxley)

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, precise geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2015-04c Resisting Nepalese Temptations

Ignoring For Eyes Only

Eye movements and eye contact provide important social and emotional information. Eye contact, a major channel of nonverbal communication, is the instance when two people look at each other's eyes at the same time; it is the primary nonverbal way of indicating interest, attention and involvement. This includes the duration of eye contact, actions of winking, movements of pupils and eyebrows, and the dilation/constriction of pupils. Generally speaking, the longer there is established eye contact between two people, the greater the intimacy levels. However, the customs and significance of eye contact vary between societies, with religious and social differences often altering its meaning greatly.

More portrait photographs with exif data, geotags and other specs in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2015-04b Ignoring For Eyes Only
Flickr Album 2014-03a Facing Face Masks in Taiwan

Admiring Dupattas in India

The dupatta is a long, multi-purpose scarf that is essential to many South Asian women's suits and matches the woman's garments. The dupatta is most commonly used with the shalwar kameez and the kurta, but is also worn over the choli or gharara. The dupatta has long been a symbol of modesty and beauty in South Asian dress.

It’s worn in many regional styles across India. While the symbolism of modesty still continues, many today wear it as just a decorative accessory. There is no single way of wearing the dupatta, and as time evolves and fashion modernizes, the style of the dupatta has also evolved. The dupatta is traditionally worn across both shoulders and around head. The material for the dupatta varies according to the suit.

When entering a mosque, dargah, church, gurdwara or mandir, it is the habit on the Indian subcontinent for women to cover their head with a dupatta.

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, precise geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2013-05a Portraying Malaysia's Diversity

Flickr Album 2016-01a Enjoying Exempt Langkawi

Flickr Album 2013-08a Smiling at Attractive Hijabs

Flickr Album 2010-13a Facing the Asian Conical Hat

Flickr Album 2014-10a Seeking Sikhs All Over Asia