Quote Originally Posted by jjeling View Post
That subject is what the message in the picture is
I'm not certain I agree with that. I think sometimes the message is not the subject or vice versa at all. Rather the subject may simply be there in order illustrate or point the viewer to the real message or meaning within their photo.

Just thinking of Kat's photo of the person sitting at the table ...

Hope you don't mind me using this shot as an example Kat

This photo's subject is man staring down at the table.
Kat's title for this photo in her Flickr album is 'What Now?'
I would think the meaning she is trying to communicate here is not this subject but more about despair, loneliness, uncertainty.
The message isn't the subject. The Subject is there to illustrate the meaning I believe.

If this is the communication Kat was trying to achieve, then with me at least, she achieved that goal.

I chose Kat's photo as an example because I believe her to be one the best at finding the compositions and subjects that do manage to communicate her meanings. I consider myself to not be in the same league at all on this.