Assignment #15 discussion, humanizing international symbols

Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:09 am

International symbols were designed to be understood wordlessly in any language. By their nature they are bereft of human aspects.

Take any international symbol, or other frequently used symbol (diaper changing station symbols come to mind) and use a photo to make the image give the same information but add a human (or natural) aspect to the new "symbol". The image should retain the informational aspects of the symbol and should have a good recognition value. Not as easy as it might appear.

For a list of international symbols: http://www.blm.gov/nstc/mapstandards/downloads/csinter.pdf

DO NOT POST IMAGES BEFORE THE 1ST OF THE MONTH. I will post the actual (sticky) assignment at that time.

This is just for discussion.

Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 224

I'm sorry Packard I just don't follow what you're saying. Can you give an example of what you mean?

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 12:15 am

I have a feeling that smoking permitted symbol will be removed shortly! :)

Sounds like a really interesting assignment. Just to clarify what you mean:

Lets take (just for a quick example) mens restroom symbol for example. Do you want us to have a man standing with a toilet behind him or something? Is that the idea? Sorry if I sound like a moron, but it fits, because I feel like one.

Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:30 am

I want you to take a photo that is as effective as the symbol representing the same information. The photo will obviously be non-abstract and will show people, places and things as required by the information being represented.

The photo should represent a direct (and effective) replacement for the existing symbol. Make it funny or serious; but make the communication as effective as the symbol.

Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 8:53 pm

packard wrote:

make the communication as effective as the symbol.

What, like #68: "Long Term Visitor Area"? :-)
(Sorry, I just thought that was the weirdest symbol.)

Anyway, so looking at the symbols, I see that they are all very concise. Pictoral apothegms. Is this something we should strive for? I guess it is harder to "communicate effectively" with a cluttered photo.

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:18 am

Eldorage wrote:

"Long Term Visitor Area"? :-)
(Sorry, I just thought that was the weirdest symbol.)

The photo should be a direct (and effective) substitute for the symbol.

For instance, you could have a photo of the backs of 10 men standing at urinals. This would be an effective rendering of "men's' room".

A photo of a cemetery might be an amusing rendering of "long term visitor area", but it would not convey the same meaning. Some of these will be easier to render than others and perhaps the easier ones are the ones to choose.

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:01 am

And are we supposed to say which symbol we used?

For instance, "wildlife viewing area." That could be virtually anywhere where we'd find wildlife, including our own backyards.

:) Anne

Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Japan

Very interesting, mmmmmmmm I require some real consideration on this one , I have never seen most of these symbols. I take it these are the US symbols because the EU and Japanese symbols are different. But the meaning are the same so it doesn't really matter I guess. I'll start shooting at sun up.

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:35 pm

Anne wrote:

And are we supposed to say which symbol we used?

For instance, "wildlife viewing area." That could be virtually anywhere where we'd find wildlife, including our own backyards.

:) Anne

I hadn't thought that out. You could post your shot and offer it as a quiz for us to guess at the symbol. Or you could just post the image and say what it was.

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:37 pm

MikeJp wrote:

Very interesting, mmmmmmmm I require some real consideration on this one , I have never seen most of these symbols. I take it these are the US symbols because the EU and Japanese symbols are different. But the meaning are the same so it doesn't really matter I guess. I'll start shooting at sun up.

You can use the symbols that you are accustomed to. Just post the symbol so that we know what you are working on. Or just use the US symbols--they cannot be all that different.

Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 4:40 pm

Thanks Packard.

Now all I need is for this silly heat and humidity to break so I can get out and shoot.

:) Anne

Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 136

I think I'll give this one a go myself

Joined: 05 Jun 2006 Posts: 245 Location: Northern MA

Anne wrote:

Now all I need is for this silly heat and humidity to break so I can get out and shoot.

Aren't you in Florida? Umm, good luck not shooting between now and oh... New Year's Eve ;)

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 7:44 pm

Quote:

good luck not shooting between now and oh... New Year's Eve ;)

At the very least. LOL

I did go out for a short while today, but the wildlife was scarce, and there wasn't much of anything worth shooting.

I did get a lizard (see my assignment #15) though.

:) Anne

Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Japan

Being newbie here, how long do we have for assignments? They come on the 1st and 15th. As I am not going to get to shot what I want to shot until Sunday at the eariest. So basically how long do these assignments last?