DAC 201 Photo Essay

May 6, 2022

Jenica Batangan

20830388

The image shows a crocheted chicken nugget that my friend from Newfoundland got me. This image
brings me joy as it reminds me of my ultimate favourite snack and guilty pleasure. This picture
communicates that sense of excitement and joy, because the setting of this picture was taken moments
right after I received it from my friend. I know this because the background of the photo shows the table
that I was studying at in the campus environment building with them. Aside from my friendship, and
love for chicken nuggets, this photo also reminds me of that day. It was February 14 th when I met up
with my friend. We had nothing planned, but to catch up with each other. I was very pessimistic about
the entire “valentine's day” vibes I saw around campus that day, not because I was lonely or sad, but
because the day felt unreasonably hyped up for the occasion. So, when I see this photo, I am not only
reminded of those thoughts and feelings, but also a feeling of relief that my day ended with joy that
derived from a friendship. This photo became a symbol of reframing what Valentine’s Day can mean to
me. As defined in the reading, "Handbook of Visual Communication Theory, Methods, and Media-Ch 9",
the elements of this visual imagery would be different concepts, ideas and themes. More specifically,
there were themes of friendship, festivity, personal interests, and a slice of life.

Since this is a picture of an object I have received, I understand that a viewer would not feel the same
things I felt. These feelings are associated with my experience that day, which may mean something
different to someone else. To put it into perspective, this photo was taken on Valentine’s Day, and if I
were to introduce this photo by just stating the date the photo was taken, some may be quick to feeling
sad, lonely, joy, or about their significant other. Whereas I am quick to think about my friendship with
the person who gifted me the crocheted chicken nugget.

To make sense of this, symbols and images don't always indicate the same things towards others due to
a range of human experiences. From the reading, I understand that visual rhetoric also places the
implication of a specific audience being communicated to. In the case of this photo, I am trying to
communicate that I have received something special from a friend. The audience intended for this photo
is close friends in my life that know the context behind my love for chicken nuggets. This goes onto the
function of the image being a form of communication to my chosen audience. As the person who
created the photo, my intentions behind the photo were to capture that moment of my day and be able
to share that with others.

While the object itself in the photo is intended for only me, the photo of it communicates more. As
mentioned previously, this photo implies the setting, feelings, and characteristics of myself and my
friend.