Barthes Semiotic Theory

You open the front door and step outside. The cold air fills your lungs, and you begin walking to the nearest coffee shop. Zipping up your coat, you pass by a multitude of advertisements and billboards. Too cold to pay attention, you continue walking until you reach your destination. Once at the coffee shop, you pick up a coffee and a local newspaper and sit down.

Without even noticing, on a leisurely stroll to the nearest coffee shop we are subject to an abundance of photographic messages. Whether it be a billboard, newspaper, magazine, television or even an advertisement on cars or busses, we are bound into an endless world of photographic meaning. Regardless of whether the images capture our attention intentionally or unintentionally, the message has already been transmitted and meaning has been created. Barthes’ (1977) “The Photographic Message” looks at the roles of denotation and connotation and explains the relationship between text and image. This essay will first explain Barthes’ theory using the concepts of both denotation and connotation. Then, the semiotic theory of “The Photographic Message” and how it can be applied to advertisements to further deconstruct connoted meaning. Followed by a critique of Barthes’ theory addressing its various strengths and weaknesses, revolving around***

Explaining Barthes’ Semiotic Theory-"The Photographic Message"

Roland Barthes semiotic theory looks at how structured systems of signs (in this case advertisements) function as social phenomena. It focuses on how these signs constitute culture and ideologies in different ways. In Barthes’ study we learn that images consist of two different messages; denoted and connoted. The direct or literal representation of the meaning of a sign is known as “denotation.” A good example to clarify this concept is by using the historical figure, Adolf Hitler. Denotation shows Hitler as a “particularly historical figure.” However, connotation is implied or suggested meaning of a sign, or as Barthes explains: "the manner in which the society to a certain extent communicates what it thinks of it." (Barthes, 1977) In the example of Hitler, he connotes “evil, genocide, racism, etc.” (R.T. Craig, lecture, September 30th, 2010)

Furthermore, Barthes’ continues to explain what he describes as “pure denotation;” a photographic image by itself or a message without a code. Thus, once text is added to that particular photograph the meaning and denotation of that photographed is changed. However, Barthes claims that the denotative status of a photo “has every chance of being mythical” (Barthes, 1977) In this case, use of the word mythical refers to the feature or characteristic of a photograph that symbolizes and conveys specific cultural ideological norms. A photograph can also connote cultural meaning because images can