Symbolism in Photography: How to Create Photographs with Meaning

In this week’s post, learn to create powerful, evocative images by using symbolism in photography.

What makes a photo visually interesting? 

Sometimes, it’s the subject itself, such as when we take a photo of a majestic animal, a beautiful landscape, or a gorgeous model.

However, when it comes to more artistic photography, the use of symbolism often leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.

As a fine art photographer, I love using different symbols in my images – they’re one of the main tools I use to communicate my emotions and ideas.

In fact, I love symbolism so much that I’ve decided to dedicate a whole article to the subject of symbolism in photography. 

Read on to learn what symbolism is and how it has been used in visual arts and photography throughout history.

I’ll also explain why you should incorporate symbols into your photography and share some examples of symbols that you can use for your images. 

Let’s dive in!

1) A Definition of Symbolism

OK, let’s first define the word “symbolism” in the context of visual art and photography.

Many artists like to depict “what is” – for example, they will draw or paint an exact representation of a landscape, figure or still life, copying reality.

In contrast, some artists work more conceptually:

They represent ideas or concepts through symbols to focus on emotions, feelings and ideas.

Therefore, a symbol in art or photography is:

“A thing (often material, e.g. an object) used to represent something else (often immaterial, abstract)”.

Many symbols are widely understood (e.g., a skull representing death), but not every symbol is universal.

How you interpret symbols may depend on where you’ve grown up and what symbols were used in your culture. 

There are also very personal symbols that are unique to you.

In the next section, let’s look at symbolism in visual art, as this will lay an essential foundation for symbolism in photography.

2) Symbolism in Art

Now, I realise you came here to read an article about photography. 

However, understanding symbolism in art is the key to using symbols in photography.

Once you understand how symbols have been used in paintings, you can easily apply this to your photography, given that the “language” of symbolism remains the same in any visual art.

OK, let’s look at some symbols in painting, then!

2.1. Symbolism in Paintings

Even some of the earliest human artworks contain symbols.

If you look at cave paintings created about 20.000 years ago, you will see different kinds of animals, as well as lines, dots, crosses and other shapes.

Since then, numerous artists have incorporated symbols into their art. 

Some examples throughout history:

Renaissance Paintings

During the Renaissance period, some of the most well-known symbols were:

• Lamb – Jesus
• Dove – holy spirit
• Dog – loyalty 
• Skull – death
• Serpent – temptation, sin

Have a look at the following examples:

Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden, by Anonymous Artist. Image Credit: Samuel H. Kress Collection

There is so much symbolism in this one painting alone!

Just some examples are the lamb referencing Christ as the “Lamb of God”; on the left is Catherine of Alexandria with her sword and wheel, representing her martyrdom.

On the right, there is Saint Barbara, offering Jesus an apple or a quince, a symbol of love in this context.

Vanitas Still Life, B. Schaak. Credit: Samuel H. Kress Collection.

This is a typical vanitas still life with powerful symbols such as an hourglass, a skull and a burnt down candle, all representing mortality.

The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

This painting by Bosch is jam-packed with symbols, mainly fruits and animals.

Surrealism

Surrealist painters were masters of using symbolism in their art.

Have a look at paintings by Salvador Dalí, for example, where you’ll find lots of clocks, crutches, ants and other symbols, all referencing different themes and concepts.

Symbolism

In the late 19th century, symbolism originated as a movement mainly in France but also other countries, rejecting the depiction of reality.

Here’s an example:

Beata Beatrix, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Charles L. Hutchinson Collection.

This painting contains a lot of symbolism, mainly the haloed dove delivering poppy (representing laudanum, a derivative of opium, which caused the death of Beata Beatrix who is the subject of this painting).

Just a little interruption to say: Do you like taking portraits? Then check out my free ebook below:

…but now, back to the blog post!

3) The Use of Symbolism in Photography

Having looked at some examples of symbols in painting and visual arts, you may now wonder ​​how to use symbolism in photography.

Well, the answer is very straightforward:

You can use symbols precisely like an artist would.

First of all, it helps to familiarise yourself with some common symbols that will be widely understood because of specific associations with them, e.g. a red rose symbolising love. 

I’ve included a list of well-known symbols at the end of the article. If you want to dive deeper, you can check out the following books:

Symbols in Art (Art Essentials)

The Hidden Language of Symbols

(Just so you know: These links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).

3.1. Different Types of Symbols in Photography

Depending on the intention of your photo shoot, you can incorporate different types of symbols into your image.

Props and Objects

If you want to use props, you could take a portrait of someone holding an object that represents certain character traits.

You could also build a whole still life around symbolic images (like in the still life painting I included above). 

For example, I once did a shot centred around youth, where I included plant bulbs, eggs and typical spring flowers to represent the season of spring associated with being young/at the beginning of one’s life. 

Colours

However, you don’t have to restrict yourself to props and objects.

You can also leverage different colours to represent different ideas and concepts.

For example, red is widely associated with love, passion and/or anger, depending on context; blue is associated with sadness/calm, and so on.

If you want to use symbolic colours in your photography, you can use outfits and make-up in those colours, a coloured backdrop, coloured objects, an overall colour grade, colour filters, and so on.

Note: When working with colour, it can be extremely effective to use intentional colour grading to create a certain mood or effect.

If you need help with this, check out this post here.

Animals

Another helpful tool for symbolism in photography is the use of animals.

We’ve seen it above with Jesus Christ being represented as a lamb in many Renaissance paintings; then, Salvador Dali used ants to illustrate decay and death.

Almost every animal I can think of has some kind of characteristic associated with it, e.g.:

• Bunny – fear, timidness
• Birds – freedom
• Butterfly – transformation, change
• Crow – sorcery, mystery, magic
• Dove – peace, innocence
• Dog – loyalty
• Eagle – freedom, spirituality
• Horse – strength, power
• Phoenix – rebirth, renewal
• Peacock – vanity
• Lion – strength, authority
• Raven – bad omen, danger
• Owl – wisdom, intuition
• Swan – grace, beauty

…and so on. 

Interestingly, you may have slightly different associations depending on your cultural background, but that’s fine–symbolism has a very personal component.

As long as the symbol makes sense to you, that’s all that matters.

Of course, you don’t have to incorporate the actual animal into your shoot.

You could do it more subtly, for example, using peacock feathers, a birdcage, an (artificial) crow skull, eggs, an artwork depicting the animal, and so on.

The Elements

The elements are another brilliant symbolic device for your photography.

You could incorporate:

• Water, symbolising different states of mind depending on its state (calm, waves, flood, etc)
• Fire, symbolising energy, passion, burning love, emotions 
• Wind/clouds, symbolising trouble, difficulty, darkness, impending doom

Again, you don’t need to be super obvious.

For example, you could simply use a burning candle in your photograph to represent fire.

Shapes

Lastly, you can incorporate shapes into your photographs: hearts for love, the infinity symbol for everlasting life or love, a circle for unity/femininity, and so on.

3.2. Examples of Symbolism in My Photography

Here are some of my self-portraits using symbols:

I chose to add a butterfly in this photo to represent the fragile state of my health at the time (I was struggling with chronic tennis elbow).

In this image, I used a green apple and the colour red (nails and lipstick) to represent sensuality/seductiveness.

In this photo, I shot with a doll, representing innocence and childhood.

4) Why Use Symbolism in Photography?

By this point, you may be wondering why I am such a big advocate of using symbolism in photography.

4.1. More Interesting, Layered Images

Well, first of all, I think it makes your photography much more interesting and evocative—there’s a reason artists have used symbolism for centuries!

Sure, you can take a simple portrait of someone and produce a stunning photo.

However, adding symbolism to the portrait in the form of props, animals, colours, etc., gives the image more “layers”:

The viewer has to work a little harder to interpret the image, but in exchange, they can find much more meaning in it.

4.2. A Tool to Communicate Your Intention

Secondly, symbols are such a powerful tool for expressing your intention behind the picture.

For example, I often want to express a particular idea or concept in my photography, and symbols act as handy visual metaphors to convey more profound meaning.

Since most of the symbols I use are (hopefully) widely understood, people will be able to “read” the image much more easily.

Thus, symbols are a tool to communicate something and also to make the message resonate with the viewer.

Of course, symbols are open to interpretation.

If I include a butterfly representing fragility, some viewers might associate the butterfly with transformation and interpret the image differently, but that’s also what makes symbolism so exciting:

Even though many symbols are universal, people can still interpret them personally and gather all kinds of meaning from them.

5) What Are Some Common Symbols Used in Photography?

Finally, as promised, I wanted to include some common symbols you can use for your photography.

Again, these symbols may have very different meanings in your culture, so these are just some starting points.

Use them as visual cues to evoke feelings and associations in the viewer of your photographs:

• Skulls – death, mortality
• Candles – passing of time, extinguished candle – death, dying
• Flowers – life and growth. Different flowers have different meanings, e.g. red rose = love, daffodil = new beginnings, growth, forget-me-nots = true love/memories, lotus = wisdom, spirituality, lily = purity, etc
• Fruit – different meanings depending on the fruit, e.g. apple = sin, seduction
• Insects – transformation, decay
• Broken mirror, broken glass – bad luck, bad fortune
• Books – intelligence, knowledge, wisdom
• Compass – guidance, direction
• Seashells – good fortune, fertility, feminine body, sensuality
• Cross – religion, faith
• Rain (drops) – melancholy, sadness
• Rainbow – hope, new beginnings, good fortune
• Eggs – new life, birth, fertility
• Overly ripe, decaying food/wilting flowers – decay, mortality
• Feathers – hope, freedom, fragility
• Keys – secrets

There are many fine art photographers known for incorporating these types of symbols into their images.

For example, check out Brooke Shaden or Rosie Hardy.

And that’s it for now!

I hope you found this post helpful.

P.S.: If, like me, you enjoy taking self-portraits, check out my free ebook below: