HT2777 - Everything Is Symbolic

Here's a Thought… #2777 with Brooks Jensen

Everything Is Symbolic

One of the things that separates humans from animals is that we think in terms of symbols, culturally defined associations, and abstracts. There is a school of thought from mid-20th century photography that emphasizes photographing "the thing itself." I understand the intent, but it's never made sense to me because it fights the nature of human thinking and emotion. A better approach, I believe, is understanding the importance of symbolism and its role in image making. Maybe we should all read Joseph Campbell again.

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