We’ve all heard the cliché “A picture is worth a thousand words”, but how often do we sit down and try to analyze just exactly what those words are? Since we all come from different upbringings, a picture could mean something different to you than it does to me. For this reason, it is a good idea to break down the structural elements of the photo to ensure that you get the correct meaning. In this essay, I will evaluate a photo by looking at the structural elements that create it. This photo gives the message that it only takes a little bit of effort to make someone happy, and the artist portrays this message through symbols, color choice, contrast and line.

       The image that I have chosen depicts a young boy and girl. The two of them are standing on what seems to be a dock on a large body of water. The boy is wearing all dark clothes, while also holding colorless balloons. On the other hand, the girl in the photo is wearing pink clothes and holding pink and purple balloons. In most images, color choice is a component that can help characterize something more profoundly. As most people know, colors often symbolize a deeper connotation or particular feelings. For example, blue could indicate sadness while red could signify anger. In this picture, the artist provides the girl pink balloons. According to Crystal Cure, the color psychology of pink is nurturing and unconditional love. This is vital to the picture because the girl is being nurturing when she hands one of her balloons to help the boy feel happier. Additionally, the girl is holding purple balloons. The color purple can calm the mind and nerves and offers a sense of spirituality while also uplifting us. Furthermore, color helps us recognize that the boy is gloomy. We know that the boy is unhappy because the color of his clothes and balloons. His body is in all gray tones and so are his balloons. The boy’s clothes are restricted and tight while the girl is wearing a flowy dress. This demonstrates that the boy is feeling confined while the girl is free. Gray images denote feelings of confusion and sadness, and the contrast between the girl’s pink outfit and his gray outfit help to further distinguish their different states of emotion.

Another way the artist of this image used color to create the meaning is with contrast.  In the background, the bright sunlight is directly centered behind the balloon being offered making it stand out more. This decision also shows that the object she is offering is good, and joyful. If the artist made the choice to have a gray cloud behind that pink balloon, the same conclusion might not have been reached. Still keeping the clouds in mind, the boy has more gray clouds on his side of the image while the girl has all light clouds. This helps make the contrast between happiness and sadness in the boy and the girl more apparent. Another interesting thing about this images background is the birds. The birds look like they are coming from the side the girl is standing on. According to a University of Michigan entry, birds “represent the human desire to escape gravity, to reach the level of the angel” (Birds). Since it would seem that the boy feels the gravitational pull of life tugging at him, these birds help show the transferring of freedom and the uplifting spirit that the girl is giving to the boy. The contrast of their posture is also very apparent in the image. The boy is slouched over and has his legs bent. The girl has good posture is standing upright. The discombobulation of the boy’s posture compared to the girl’s contrast the way they are feeling.

Another important structural factor that plays into this image is line. The boy is looking down at his feet while the girl is looking directly at him. Looking down at your feet can show that someone is ashamed of something or feeling guilty. In addition, he is looking away from the balloon that is being presented to him. Because of this, it illustrates that he probably feels as if he is not worthy of the happiness she is giving him. The girl is looking directly at the boy which shows that she is confident in what she has decided to do. She is not hesitant to the fact that she has made this decision, and shows that she is mature.

Because everyone in the world doesn’t come from the same family, country, or upbringing, people derive diverse meanings from different things. Since individuals can have different connotations, a picture can be worth a thousand words or meanings. I can personally claim that this image shows that giving a little bit of joy to someone else can change their mood entirely, and the artist portrays this by using things like the color of the background, and the way the children are looking. Hopefully this photograph helps society to remember that one act of random kindness goes a long way.
