Number 28 of 52 Lifelong Communication Lessons: Pictures and power
July 13, 2015 |
| The Rise and Fall of Apartheid, exhibit poster, International Center of Photography, NY |
The year was 2012.
The Costa Concrodia cruise ship sinks off the coast of Tuscany. Obama is reelected and "Superstorm Sandy" becomes the largest Atlantic hurricane on record. Locally, the Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry is released.
I was in my favourite city, New York days before Christmas. Wandering around on my own and letting the sights and sounds inspire me, I stumbled across the International Center of Photography. The feature was an apartheid exhibit. Sounded interesting, so I ventured in thinking I would see some great photography and learn a bit more about the events of that time.
The pictures, all black and white, were stark in their focus on the people. First, a young Nelson Mandela, looking all powerful and determined. Handsome in his African garb, he held a gaze that could hold your attention for a long time. I found myself contemplating what he was thinking while the photo was taken. I wondered if the inspirational people of our world had a sense of their uniqueness and impact early on or if it came with time.
I was so captured by the images, I started taking pictures. Quickly, I was advised this was not allowed. I am never sure why museums don't want us taking photos. Is that not a true sense of appreciation? In today's world shared photos might drive more visits to museums and galleries.
As I carried on in the exhibit, I was captured by old magazines with amazing cover photos, snapshots of people partying, protesting and living their lives. I was immersed in the faces and the feelings. Before I knew it, the tears were streaming, these photographs moved me, made me think, made me feel and upset me.
I stayed quite a while and considered lives I would never truly understand nor experience. But, I felt a tiny touch of it. Those visuals are firmly embedded in my mind and I will never forget how they made me feel.
Photos can do this. They build on our emotive brain and bring us full frontal with our fears, desires and dreams.
The visual has become all the more important in telling stories today. We click away with our smartphones at anything and everything. If we want our stories to have influence, we need a thoughtful, visual message.
Communication Lessons:
- If you want to reach people, take the time to create something of value visually and people will respond.
- Connect with people on a emotional level to have lasting impact.
- Take quality pictures of eventful times in your life. They will communicate who you were to future generations.
Fast Forward to 2015:
People on Facebook quickly embrace visuals to share their opinion on issues and it has power. Think of the 26 million people who recently added a rainbow filter to their Facebook profile photo to support the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage in the U.S.
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