The Visual Motif Matters! Motifs, Meanings and Contexts in the Life Span of Iconic Press Photographs

• In Event: The Life Span of Iconic Photographs

Abstract

This paper explores the relevance of visual motif and visual context for press photographs to achieve an “iconic status” during their life span. As an explanatory concept, “iconicity” is contrasted with the concept of “pathos formulae.” Both focus on different aspects of highly expressive and emotional photographs. While the former emphasizes the role of the visual motif – what is depicted on the photo and how – the latter focuses on the emotional tone of the photo, and the reactions of audiences elicited by particularly emotionally expressive motifs. Both visual motif and visual context matter for the life span of “iconic photographs.”

Marion G. Müller is Associate Professor of Mass Communication. In 2009 she was the founding director of the Interdisciplinary Research Center Visual Communication and Expertise (VisComX). From 2007-2009 she served as chair of ICA’s Visual Communication Studies Division. Prior to that, she chaired the German Communication Association’s Visual Communication Division.

Author

• Marion G. Mueller, Jacobs U - Bremen