--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A word refers to something in the real…" description: "\"A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. It's not the thing itself, but it's a kind of suggestion of where you migh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/robert-barry-3413_doe_a-word-refers-to-something-in-the-real-w_73286.jpg" --- # A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a… ![“A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. It's not the thing itself, but it's a kind of suggestion of where you might look for that thing.” quote by Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/robert-barry-3413_doe_a-word-refers-to-something-in-the-real-w_73286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/robert-barry-3413_doe_a-word-refers-to-something-in-the-real-w_73286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ddf/robert-barry-3413_doe_a-word-refers-to-something-in-the-real-w_73286.jpg) > “A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. It's not the thing itself, but it's a kind of suggestion of where you might look for that thing.” [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words and photographs are symbols that point to reality but are not the reality itself; they guide perception. **In simple terms:** Words/photos suggest reality, not replace it. Key Takeaway Symbols mediate experience. Themes semiotics representation perception Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - interpreting news headlines - analyzing visual art - reading scientific diagrams Key Concepts symbolic mediation Practical Applications - Use captions to clarify, not limit, visual information. Questions to Reflect On - When does a symbol become a distortion? - How can we balance abstraction with concrete detail? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on symbols can obscure nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“To take a photo is one thing, to create an image is another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-longman/to-take-a-photo-is-one-thing-to-create-an-image-is-another/) Keith Longman > [The photo is a thing in itself. And that's what still photography is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/the-photo-is-a-thing-in-itself-and-that-s-what-still-photography-is/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [And then I met Jerry and he's such a creative fiction writer, and I don't know if there's ever been a team put together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/and-then-i-met-jerry-and-he-s-such-a-creative-fiction-writer-and-i/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Faith is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/faith-is-a-state-of-mind-which-may-be-induced-or-created-by/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Happiness does not come from a job. It comes from knowing what you truly value, and behaving in a way that’s consistent with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/happiness-does-not-come-from-a-job-it-comes-from-knowing-what-you/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [Keep your private life private. Be open to suggestions from different people. And just be nice. I have heard stories about people who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-trachtenberg/keep-your-private-life-private-be-open-to-suggestions-from-different/) [Michelle Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-trachtenberg/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [A holy mind cannot repeat a vile thing, let alone be the creator of a vile suggestion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake-2/a-holy-mind-cannot-repeat-a-vile-thing-let-alone-be-the-creator-of-a/) [John G Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake-2/) > [ I don't enter into particulars with \[Ennio Morricone\]. I give him the feeling and the suggestions of the characters. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-leone/i-don-t-enter-into-particulars-with-ennio-morricone-i-give-him-the/) [Sergio Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-leone/) > [Eventually it became clear that our emotions, attitudes, and thoughts profoundly affect our bodies, sometimes to the degree of life or death. Soon mind-body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-dossey/eventually-it-became-clear-that-our-emotions-attitudes-and-thoughts/) [Larry Dossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-dossey/) > [Then there are some minor points that strike me as suggestive - for instance, the position of Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag, the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/then-there-are-some-minor-points-that-strike-me-as-suggestive-for/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Democracy is the suggestion box for slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/democracy-is-the-suggestion-box-for-slaves/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [I spend a long time casting, but once I've cast a film there's a reason why I selected those people. So I'm hands-on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-spend-a-long-time-casting-but-once-i-ve-cast-a-film-there-s-a/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [Nothing evades our attention as persistently as that which we take for granted... the decades roll on without even a suggestion that perhaps the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-brady/nothing-evades-our-attention-as-persistently-as-that-which-we-take/) Marion Brady > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Robert Barry > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Any artwork is part of something larger, grander and, you know, the situation that it's in is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/any-artwork-is-part-of-something-larger-grander-and-you-know-the/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Whatever came out came out. That was it. That's what you live with. If you don't like it, that's your problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/whatever-came-out-came-out-that-was-it-that-s-what-you-live-with-if/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I'm fortunate in one respect; that I don't have a lot of work in my studio. Most of it's out, gone; either sold or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-fortunate-in-one-respect-that-i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-work-in-my/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I was at one point thinking about being an art historian, when I was in school. And not being an artist, but I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-was-at-one-point-thinking-about-being-an-art-historian-when-i-was/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I have a lot of ideas for art. And it is really - I don't really have time to do them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-have-a-lot-of-ideas-for-art-and-it-is-really-i-don-t-really-have/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [But artistically, my art I kept very separate from my political beliefs, deliberately and very, very rarely would I allow that kind of thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/but-artistically-my-art-i-kept-very-separate-from-my-political/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I am always producing work, but there is always a sort of deadline where you have to finish work. I don't do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-am-always-producing-work-but-there-is-always-a-sort-of-deadline/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [If you want to know about what's good in art, you should talk to an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/if-you-want-to-know-about-what-s-good-in-art-you-should-talk-to-an/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Developing your own style became something very interesting, very important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/developing-your-own-style-became-something-very-interesting-very/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I'm getting more and more into Chinese art and Japanese, some of those scroll paintings are amazing. You follow the change of the seasons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-getting-more-and-more-into-chinese-art-and-japanese-some-of-those/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [How does any idea come to your mind? I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/how-does-any-idea-come-to-your-mind-i-don-t-know/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Heidegger wrote a book called Was Ist Das Ding - What Is a Thing? which was kind of interesting and influential to me, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/heidegger-wrote-a-book-called-was-ist-das-ding-what-is-a-thing-which/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I had always taken photos - always, always taken photos, made movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-had-always-taken-photos-always-always-taken-photos-made-movies/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I like challenge. I like to be put into a situation which I haven't done before. Something new presents itself and I see if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-like-challenge-i-like-to-be-put-into-a-situation-which-i-haven-t/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) [Explore all 131 Robert Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A word refers to something in the real world and so, in a way, does a photo. 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