Images and Text

‘One look is worth a thousand words’

This famous saying which is widely attributed to Fred R. Barnard around the 1930s and raises an age old question, is an image worth a thousand words?  Certainly an image can be worth more than a long winded description or a statement of what can be seen, but most times a small amount of text is all that is need to really put an image into context.  A small amount of text can totally change your perception of an image and give you a more accurate view of what the image really is.  

These are examples of how the images are changed depending on the signs that they were given to hold up.  Without the text you may have subconsciously created those 1000 words in your head about each person, mainly judging them on outward appearance, whereas now in some cases just a small piece of text as totally change your view of the picture.  By adding text you put the image into context.   If each of the signs was swapped over each picture would have a new meaning and we’d each see it in a new light.

I think that an image can quite often be better than 1000 words, because with the picture we are able to interpret the image ourselves, each creating are own 1000 words, but in most cases an image works best when combined with text so that there is at least some direction for us. 

This can be interestingly linked to whether a photograph can really capture everything.  I don’t believe it is possible for a photograph to really tell the viewer everything as every photograph is interpreted differently by different people, but also because every photograph has elements to it that the viewer would never be able to guess without some sort text accompanying it.  A good example is the photograph below.    

At first I interpret the photograph as a seemingly normal slightly overgrown car park in the countryside somewhere.  It is only when accompanied by the article below do you find out the true meaning of the photograph. 

Without the article the viewer could only have randomly guessed at what secret meaning the photograph actually held.  That is unless you happen to live nearby and often visit this area.

After seeing an example like this it shows that unless a photographer deliberately sets up a photograph so that everything that can be seen is everything that there is then the viewer will never be able to truly understand the image without some text.