We can use “symbolism” as a very important factor to enhance the authenticity of our photos. This does not only mean the incorporation of symbols, i.e. signs whose meaning must first be learned due to a lack of similarity to their statement (e.g. white dove = peace). Icons, indices and text can also be important keys to expanding your message in the picture. They usually act like additional information elements that support the design elements mentioned above and should fit homogeneously into the overall composition. Symbols in particular can reinforce your message, as it takes the viewer time to place them and apply their meaning to the rest of the composition. This gives rise to different possible interpretations. Your audience can explore your work, reflect on it, and unlock its meaning. This process creates tension in the viewer and increases his interest. It makes him emotionally more attached to your work because he has figured out the meaning for himself. So symbolism is a very powerful and versatile tool that you can use to emotionalize your work.
Always consider your target group and that not every symbolism can be understood in the same way by every culture. Colors alone mean different things depending on the culture. The color red represents love in Western culture, Eastern Europe and Japan, green in Hinduism and yellow among the indigenous peoples of North America. Such symbolic meanings can be found throughout art history. In works of art of the Renaissance. For example, deeper meanings can be derived from the representation of the horses: white horses stood for death, black horses for famine and red-brown horses for war. Burning candles represented faith, while extinguished candles symbolized death or ruin. Abundance was communicated with paintings of fruit baskets. Especially at that time, rare and expensive lemons were a symbol of wealth and prosperity. A fly represents transience and death. When interpreting and using such symbols, it is important to always consider our current culture and worldview, since every culture and every era has its own symbols. However, some elements are timeless, such as a skull in a memento mori. In many cultures, the “ring” is a symbol of love or marriage. In this photo, I tried to photograph the ring with lighting in such a way that its shadow resembles a heart, so as to make it more attractive and to make the viewer understand the concept of “love” at first glance.