As a child, I had an overactive sense of imagination. When I read books, I became lost in the world that they author had created, taken in by the story. I became immersed in the tales, and vividly pictured the characters and the places that they inhabited. I had images in my mind.
Recently, I have begun to ponder the popular phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Is it really? Can an image convey the depth of a story? Images can be compelling. They can be infused with emotion. Photographs are capable of evoking emotional responses. But I wanted to know if they could convey meaning. In our world today, heavy emphasis is being placed on imagery. The visual aspect is rising to the forefront in design, while text is becoming an element that blends into the background. Are we reaching a point where images, rather than text, will tell the stories? In film, this approach has been in the works for some time. Moving images tell stories, and sound is added to enhance the viewing experience. The sound actually completes the immersive experience.
I suppose I could refine my question by asking if images are a better suited than words when it comes to the art of story-telling. Do they convey the same level of depth, or do they even go deeper? For my part, I find that I cling to my physical, hard copies of books. I love the smell, and enjoy turning the pages. I am still captivated by the words. I do not believe that images should replace books. I do welcome the addition of imagery in the realm of story-telling. But to say that one is better than the other is to take a strong stance on a matter that I hold to be personal preference. While comparable, words and images are two separate entities. People do associate images with words, and vice versa; that is true. Yet when it comes to story-telling, I see several different modes. The audio form, where the story is spoken orally, and the audience listens to the tale unfold. As the words are spoken, they conjure up images that are associated with the meanings. And then there is the visual form. One visual aspect of story-telling takes the form of a book, where the author writes the words and the reader visualizes the story on the canvas of his imagination. The other aspect of visual story-telling is film, in which the story is visually represented and brought to life on screen. This multi-media experience is immersive, but I would argue that reading can be a form of immersion as well. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but without the words, would you have the meaning?
[the above image was taken from www.redbubble.com ]
Recently, I have begun to ponder the popular phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Is it really? Can an image convey the depth of a story? Images can be compelling. They can be infused with emotion. Photographs are capable of evoking emotional responses. But I wanted to know if they could convey meaning. In our world today, heavy emphasis is being placed on imagery. The visual aspect is rising to the forefront in design, while text is becoming an element that blends into the background. Are we reaching a point where images, rather than text, will tell the stories? In film, this approach has been in the works for some time. Moving images tell stories, and sound is added to enhance the viewing experience. The sound actually completes the immersive experience.
I suppose I could refine my question by asking if images are a better suited than words when it comes to the art of story-telling. Do they convey the same level of depth, or do they even go deeper? For my part, I find that I cling to my physical, hard copies of books. I love the smell, and enjoy turning the pages. I am still captivated by the words. I do not believe that images should replace books. I do welcome the addition of imagery in the realm of story-telling. But to say that one is better than the other is to take a strong stance on a matter that I hold to be personal preference. While comparable, words and images are two separate entities. People do associate images with words, and vice versa; that is true. Yet when it comes to story-telling, I see several different modes. The audio form, where the story is spoken orally, and the audience listens to the tale unfold. As the words are spoken, they conjure up images that are associated with the meanings. And then there is the visual form. One visual aspect of story-telling takes the form of a book, where the author writes the words and the reader visualizes the story on the canvas of his imagination. The other aspect of visual story-telling is film, in which the story is visually represented and brought to life on screen. This multi-media experience is immersive, but I would argue that reading can be a form of immersion as well. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but without the words, would you have the meaning?
[the above image was taken from www.redbubble.com ]
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