Why did Roland Barthes pick press photos in Photographic Message?
I'm referring to his essay "The Photographic Message", from Image-Music-Text.
I was just wondering why he specifically chose press photos (photographs from newspapers) to dissect messages in photography?
As much as possible, can anyone provide the reason that actually came from Barthes? If not, any contribution would help. Thanks.
Sorry to say I can't offer any view of Barthes'...only my opinion. Press photos are a message, and I wish I could italicize "are" because I want to stress it. Those photos are often the first thing a great many people see of the outside world in the morning, and that (another word italicized) is a message, at least equal to a headline, and often surpassing it.
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 1973 Canadian Speedster Yvon DuHamel Kawasaki Motorcycle Race Press Photo $18.88 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 8m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo West point $9.99 Time Remaining: 49m |
 1960 Press Photo Gloria Ruppre Wedding $9.99 Time Remaining: 49m |
 1958 Press Photo Chattering Sam Space Jr Training $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 8h 21m |
 1977 Patrick Duffy Actor Man From Atlantis Science Shower Scene Press Photo $18.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 41m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo of Jasmine Guy is an American actress singer and dancer $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 10m |
 1911 Press Photo Christmas Morning $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 40m |
 1978 Press Photo Frank Marino Mahogany Rush $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 40m |
 1959 Elizabeth Ann Duncan Execution Handcuffs Death Sentence Press Photo $24.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 39m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 Buy It Now |
 1961 Press Photo Madame Tamara Karsavina dancing with John Gilpin $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 14h 9m |
 1963 Press Photo Rolling StoneMick Jagger $9.99 Time Remaining: 10h 1m |
 Press Photo David Rubinoff famous concert violinist $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 29m |
 1959 Elizabeth Ann Duncan Execution Handcuffs Sentence Mary Forgey Press Photo $24.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 39m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 Buy It Now |
 1968 Press Photo Rolling Stone Mick Jagger $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 9m |
 1966 Press Photo Conductor Charles Munch Prepares For Birthday Concert $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 19m |
 1969 Dennis Duff Flare Plaid Trousers Boy Brother Fashion Boy Store Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 50m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1962 Press Photo Chinese Nationalist Tanks Quemoy Island Exercise $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 12h 31m |
 1948 Press Photo Jim Morrison Lead Singer of The Doors $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 11h 13m |
 Press Photo Tamara Dobsonmodel turned actress $9.99 Time Remaining: 9h 34m |
 Press Photo Jewels Miniseries Actors Annette OToole Anthony Andrews $33.88 Time Remaining: 29d 5h 56m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo Mrs David Young trying on a wedding Dress $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 11h 31m |
 1975 Press Photo Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Guru Transcendental Meditation University $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 43m |
 1965 Press Photo Beatle John Lennon and his wife Cynthia $23.49 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 9h 39m |
 1969 Actor Howard Duff Carl Betz Scene Felony Squad Sam Stone Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 6m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1950 Canadian American Portrait Photographer Yousuf Karsh Press Photo $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 11h 47m |
 1967 Death of CHE GUEVARA vintage press photo $149.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 12h 5m |
 Press Photo President Mobutu On Visit to Uganda $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 9m |
 1959 Elizabeth Ann Duncan Execution Gas Chamber Handcuffs Death Press Photo $24.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 39m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 Buy It Now |
 1961 Canadian American Portrait Photographer Yousuf Karsh Press Photo $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 11h 48m |
 1972 Press Photo Bobby Fischer during game against Boris Spassky $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 1m |
 1966 Jeremy Clyde Chad Performance Recording Artists Musicians Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 48m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 LARGE 1957 Press Photo Berthoud Pass West $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 12h 25m |
 1977 Press Photo President Mobutu Meets His Allies $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 24m |
 LARGE 1936 Press Photo New Streetcars Crowd Celebration $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 12h 38m |
 1967 Connie Francis Pop Singer Actress Star Closeup Beauty Serious Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 12h 56m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1933 Press Photo Groucho and Ruth Marx With Daughter Miriam $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 9h 25m |
 Boy with big dominos Original 8x10 press photo t504 $22.05 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 36m |
 1943 Press Photo George Bugs Moran Chicago Gangster $9.99 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 9h 31m |
 1974 Cyprus President Glafkos Clerides Athens Press Interview Press Photo $18.88 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 2m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 Buy It Now |
 1966 Press Photo Johnny Brown Blind Guitar Player $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 9m |
 1969 Press Photo Mick Jagger and his friend pop singer Marianne Faithfull $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 31m |
 1963 Press Photo Opera Singer Birgit Nilsson With Rudolph Bing General Manager $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 59m |
 1964 Joanie Sommers Burkes Law Actress Singer Guitar Instruments Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 12h 56m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1965 Press Photo South Vietnamese Soldier Kicks Viet Cong Suspect After Capture $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 2m |
 1960 Press Photo King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit of Thailand $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 12h 9m |
 1964 Actor Howard Duff Felony Squad Suit Detective Bust Statue Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 42m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1961 Press Photo Stan Laurel Marcel Morceau Art $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 35m |
 1972 Press Photo Boris Spassky Chess Master $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 13h 50m |
 1967 Press Photo rock singer Wilson Pickett $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 10h 48m |
 1957 Press Photo Anna Moffo Italian American Soprano Lyric Opera Singer $33.88 Time Remaining: 29d 5h 54m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo Preservation Hall Jazz Band $15.50 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 13h 6m |
 1935 Press Photo Rasputins Daughter With Circus Cheetahs $9.99 Time Remaining: 13h 25m |
 1944 Press Photo Violinist Ruggiero Ricci Brother George Santa Ana Army Base $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 9h 57m |
 1977 Citrus County Florida Aerial View Hills Highway Road Telephoto Press Photo $18.88 Time Remaining: 28d 14h 7m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 Buy It Now |
 1957 Press Photo Mickey Sylvia of Rock N Roll opera $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 6h 12m |
 LARGE 1971 Press Photo Exterior Chicago Pearson Hotel Before Torn Down $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 48m |
 1969 Press Photo Charlotte Moorman plays cello $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 10h 38m |
 1953 Press Photo Worlds Largest Liner Queen ElizabethGets Annual Overhaul $27.88 Time Remaining: 29d 2h 5m Buy It Now for only: $27.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo Chinese Nationalist Frogmen Break Out Their Rifles $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 9m |
 1938 Press Photo Satirist Mr Ade with John T McCutcheon and LA Downs $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 43m |
 1959 David Duncan Novelist Darling Daughters Father Author Writer Press Photo $24.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 52m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 Buy It Now |
 1967 Press Photo Anne Russell in Hello Dolly $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 7h 21m |
 Press Photo Man And Woman Looking Into The Distance $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 14h 9m |
 1970 Press Photo Satchmo Louis Armstrong $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 8h 54m |
 Circa 1960 Howard Duff Actor Fury Dawn A Bomb Felony Squad Closeup Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 56m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1980 Press Photo Stern Violist Pinchas Zukerman Cellist Leonard Rose $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 12h 24m |
 1941 Press Photo King Michael Becomes Marshal Ceremony Bucharest Romania $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 12h 22m |
 Press Photo Edward R Murrow berlin $9.99 Time Remaining: 9h 1m |
 1969 Catherine Emil Pallenberg Trained Bear Circus Hall Fame Press Photo $21.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 57m Buy It Now for only: $21.88 Buy It Now |
 1997 Press Photo U2 $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 13h 36m |
 1969 Press Photo DARIENA MYRICK INSTRUCTOR DAHLENA BELLY DANCE $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 11h 58m |
 1926 Press Photo Singer Luigi Montesanto Baritone Chicago Civic Opera Company $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 46m |
 1958 Press Photo Protest Abandonment Chicago University $25.88 Time Remaining: 28d 12h 22m Buy It Now for only: $25.88 Buy It Now |
 1984 Press Photo James Taylor Folk Rock Singer At Bayfront Center Performance $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 11h 37m |
 1951 Press Photo Gustaf Mannerheim $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 9h 19m |
 1987 Katsie Dudley Courtroom Bailiff Death Sentence Murderer Press Photo $14.88 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 1m Buy It Now for only: $14.88 Buy It Now |
 Press Photo Rosa Ponselle Soprano Metropolitan Opera Company $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 12h 53m |
 1953 Press Photo Joan OBrien Bob Crosby Show CBS $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 13h |
 1967 Press Photo Manaco Royalty on vacation $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 14h 16m |
 1943 Philip Cochran Flip Corkin Comic Strip Terry Pirates Military Press Photo $28.88 Time Remaining: 29d 8h 49m Buy It Now for only: $28.88 Buy It Now |
 1945 Press Photo Ernie Pyle War Correspondent Killed in Pacific $9.99 Time Remaining: 2d 12h 59m |
 Press Photo Jo Anne Lee in the ice pantomime Sleeping Beauty $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 10h 55m |
 1971 Press Photo Toy Bartender riles WCTU Joe the Bartender $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 29m |
 Press Photo Mrs Wilma Stelle Illinois first lady for 100 days $33.88 Time Remaining: 29d 6h 13m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 Buy It Now |
 1959 Press Photo Khrushchevs Daughter Yelena And Granddaughter With Their Dog $9.99 Time Remaining: 8h 19m |
 LARGE 1962 Press Photo Astronaut Scott Carpenter $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 13h 3m |
 1966 Press Photo Mrs Barbara Young Astronaut wife $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 9m |
 1987 Press Photo American Jazz Clarinetist Pete Fountain $33.88 Time Remaining: 29d 6h 8m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 Buy It Now |
 1945 Press Photo Gangster John Maritote in Court of Judge Barnes Chicago $9.99 Time Remaining: 3d 8h 55m |
 1981 Press Photo Vaslav Nijinsky in Intimate Sex Lives series $9.99 Time Remaining: 3d 10h 21m |
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