Photography and semiotics in graphic design

Discovery of photography in 1826 was considered an extraordinary finding at that time. After that time, an image that the eye see at a moment and which later flies away from the memory, was captured on a photo film. This discovery became indispensible for the mankind after it was made. Photograph is the building block of mainly newspapers and magazines, and all sorts of visual communication in our day. Especially by the social media networks those developed recently, photos have influenced our lives even further. Photograph is a language of expression and a means of communication that conveys its messages directly. This power of the photograph is used as a communicational function of graphic design processes. The photograph, which was a class of document and a descriptive material in the analog era, was moved into electronic environment as technology advanced. By this change, the image was transformed into digital data; therefore, the posibility of making changes on it via computer softwares emerged. Photograph was carried into bright rooms from dark rooms thanks to digital improvements. Modified in the computer environment, the photograph has become one of the most effective methods of use in graphic design and desktop publishing. Before the photography, messages was conveyed by engraved printings and illustration techniques in graphic design processes. Reflection of the reality that happened to be possible by the discovery of photography, has increased persuasiveness. With these functions of it, the photograph has become one of the essential elements of visual communication. In our day, interpretation and signification processes of images, imageries, and marks are a branch of semiotics reading. Semiotics is accepted as a discipline which enables us to read the message in an explanatory and correct way. It also explains meaning behind a message. In its core, correct reading of photography and graphic design processes, those have countless and infinite ways of expressions, is done by semiotics. Semiotics is one of the most important elements that carries photography and graphic design processes to success. Key Words: Photography, Graphic, Graphic design, Semiotics