Visual Communication Online

Social semiotics examines the meaning of images, signs, symbols, and text, and how they are used to communicate in different cultural and social settings. It is divided into 3 categories, representational, interactive, and compositional. This study originated by multiple scholars including, Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure who theorized about semiotics. Michael Halliday, with the help of Gunther Kress, further developed this idea into what is known as social semiotics today (Long and He 2021). Social Semiotics is important because it analyzes the connection between communication and social and cultural situations. It helps further understand how different social, cultural, and political situations can influence communication by analyzing the meaning of said images, text, etc. 

In social semiotics, the "rules" are considered to be codes, which "convey meaning" (Long and He 2021). In semiotics, the most important things to note is not the symbols or image itself, but the set of rules for interpreting said symbol, which are the codes. Representational refers to the "real world" and can be broken down into a narrative or conceptual manner. Interactive connects contact, point of view and distance. Compositional connects the more informative, logical and statistical side. According to Theories of Visual Communication, the top of a photo holds the "ideal" information of the photo. The bottom conveys the "real" information, while the left coneys known information and the right is new information. In the center of the photo is what holds and connects all the information (Word Press 2016). 

Image 1:

The representation shows a narrative because it tells a story between two girls playing basketball. It is interactive because of the contact between the two individuals. The image offers a sense of happiness and friendly competition. The composition is portrayed by the blurriness of background, which allows focus onto the actor in the image.

Image 2:

There is an interactive connection between Taylor (the actor) and the viewer due to the eye contact. The composition is shown in the chosen color red. It draws the viewer in and creates a sense of importance.

Long, Jinshun Long, and Jun He. Social Semiotics and the Related Interpretation. Atlantis Press, 2021.

Visual Social Semiotics.” Theories of Visual Communication., Word Press, 1 Sept. 2016, theoriesofviscomblog.wordpress.com/visual-social-semiotics/.