Semiosis of the Image
An introduction to contemporary photographic theory and visual languages
Photography functions as a system of signs, generating meaning through interpretation.
Drawing on semiotics, it becomes clear that a photograph is not a simple reproduction of
reality but a signifier that gestures beyond itself, shaped by cultural, historical, and
personal contexts.
Images operate on several levels. At the denotative level they present their literal content.
At the connotative level they suggest symbolic or cultural associations. At the mythic
level, as Roland Barthes described, they reinforce broader ideologies and systems of
belief.
The photographer’s choices in framing, lighting, perspective and editing shape the sign
system of the image, while viewers decode it differently depending on their own contexts.
The semiosis of the photographic image, thus concerns the ways in which photographs
communicate ideas, values and emotions through this interplay of signs.
Photography is in constant transformation, arguably more in the past decades than during
much of the second half of the twentieth century. These rapid changes affect visual
languages and the connotative messages they carry, ultimately reshaping contemporary
photographic theory.
Our course will explore the visual languages across different genres of photography in the
last 50 years, uncovering the signs and messages embedded within the medium. While
briefly revisiting foundational theories, the emphasis will be on contemporary texts and
perspectives that address photography’s role in today’s visual culture.