Denotation: What we see when we look at an image (what it is).
Connotation: what we understand of the image (what other meanings does it have)
Saving Private Ryan Poster
Denotations: in the poster for the film ' saving private ryan' we immediately see a number of soldiers dressed in uniform from world war one or world war two. We can also see that the man in the front of the photo has bars on his helmet signifying that he is in charge of the small group that we presume are looking for a fellow soldier. There is also a lone soldier walking over rough ground this could signify the hardship of war on every single person taking part leading them to become lone because they have lost everyone around them.
Connotations: The soldier wandering in the photo is black, the colour black has a number of connotations some of which being lost in the dark. The sunrise behind the soldier could mean that as every single day goes by the soldiers chances of being found are drastically deteriorating. The connotation of having army personnel is often thought of with great loss off life so this makes us think about all of the men that are pictured and we wonder if they will survive.
Denotations: From the opening scene of the film ' saving private ryan' we see a man remembering his friends that he lost during the war. we also see the american flag in the opening scene which tells us hoe patriotic they all still are. The scene is filmed on the coast of one of the beaches in normandy which was stormed by the americans during the war, on this beach is a remembrance site for the allied forces remembering every soldier which fell on this sight we see the vast number of crosses which each individually shows one person who died in the war. The man breaks down into tears and his family come to comfort him as he remembers what he did during the war during the storming of the beach in June 6, 1944.
Connotations: The image of the american flag brings about a sense of american patriotism felt during and after the war. The older man walking faster than everyone else towards the cemetery could signify how he respects his fallen comrades and wishes they were still with him. The white crosses in the cemetery evoke strong feelings of the where number of people who lost there life during the war and this humbles us to know they did it for us. When the camera focuses ono the mans face we can see how he is remembering the war and his part this could reflect a almost ritual he does every day because of the wrinkles around his eyes from repeated actions. When at the beach we see the waves crashing down this could signify the number of people who would fall with there ego starting off high like the crest of the wave and when they come crashing down like the life of the dead soldiers.