Practices of Looking Summary

            The article lays out several ways in which a viewer may look at an image. The first of these is representation which can be defined as the use of language and image in order to create meaning; two ideas of the nature of representation debate whether it reflects meaning inherent in an object, or it produces meanings about that object. This is followed by a discussion of the “myth of photographic truth,” which contemplates the tension between subjectivity and objectivity—both of which are present within photography. Denotative and connotative meaning are two separate levels of meaning found within an image; the former refers to its literal, descriptive meaning, while the latter refers to an implied, additional meaning, one that may be achieved through the image’s cultural and historical context, and the viewer’s individual perspective. The meanings found within images depend on the cultural meanings they invoke, as well as the social, political, and cultural contexts in which they are viewed; in other words, meaning is not inherent in the image elements alone, but are built when the image is viewed and interpreted. Similarly, images have no inherent value, but are given value depending on their authenticity, uniqueness, and aesthetic style, as well as the social mythology surrounding the work and the artist. Finally, the article discusses image as icon, as referring to something outside of its individual components that holds a greater symbolic meaning for many people.