Are You a Caveman Communicator?
 It
started when the first caveman scratched a crude outline of
an animal on a cave wall. The image didn’t technically
look like the animal. The size was all wrong. It was two-dimensional
and didn’t move or make any noise. But somehow the Cro-Magnon
cave-critics who viewed the image instinctively understood the
message. They knew that those strange lines and curves represented
something that really existed—they could tell what our
pre-historic Picasso was thinking and feeling by looking at
the squiggles he created. It was the dawn of symbolic imagery.
I’m sure somebody threw a bone in the air to celebrate
the discovery!
With today’s technically advanced equipment, we can
produce an exact photographic replica of anything on the planet.
We can document any event, reproduce a completely recognizable
person or show a product’s features precisely as they
appear in reality. Our caveman, along with many modern communicators,
would be thrilled. But realistic reproduction was conquered
by photography eons ago, so why settle for just realism? As
a modern marketing communication tool, mere photographic documentation
can be as lifeless and limiting as a two-dimensional cave
drawing.
Deep Thoughts
An ordinary photo shows you what something looks like; it
documents. A good photo goes beyond providing just documentary
evidence of existence—it establishes an ambiance and
mood. A really good photo goes even further by creating an
emotional link between the viewer and the subject. But the
very best photos make the viewer want to know more. As a visual
communicator, a photographer dictates the terms of the relationship
with the audience not by the subject matter, but by his choice
of lighting, composition and color.
Color My World
Are you ever tickled pink? Green with envy? Feel blue? So
mad you see red? There have been many scientific studies into
the correlation between certain colors and the effects those
colors have on our moods. Certain colors evoke specific, universal
attitudinal responses, right? Not so. There is no consistent
worldwide symbolic color chart to go by. Too bad—that
sure would come in handy. Instead of being universal, color
symbolism is culturally based. Proceed with caution in the
use of color to represent mood or attitude, particularly if
your audience is international. If you don’t do your
research, your message could suffer in translation.
For example, the so-called purity of white in the western
hemisphere symbolizes death to those in the east. In China
brides wear red instead of white, while in the west a ‘red-light’
district is not where you would expect to find a bride.
 Strong
colors, particularly reds and yellows, are the mythical sirens
of photography. They beacon our eye with bewitching beauty,
but their allure is dangerous. They often prove to be a disastrous
distraction to the subject of the image. If the color yellow
or red is not part of the main focus of your photo, beware.
Used haphazardly, these colors can do more harm to the effectiveness
of your image than a herd of stampeding mastodons. But used
as the center of attention, they are guaranteed to capture
the attention of your whole clan.
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Suzanne Salvo and her husband/partner Chris are co-owners
of Salvo Photography, an international award-winning studio
based in Houston, TX. Specializing in location shooting, assignments
have taken them to nearly 50 countries. Typical projects include
annual reports, ad campaigns and capabilities brochures. For
more information, visit their web site at
salvophoto.com. |
