Comparative Study of the Function of Signs in Photography and Cinema Based on Roland Barthes’ Views (Case Study: Photos From “Camera Lucida” and Scenes From the Film “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell”)

Although photographs have a powerful referential aspect, such that a person recalls the associated reality upon seeing them, they also possess a semiotic function and can thus convey various meanings. Similarly, cinema exhibits this characteristic. Hence, the application of semiotic tools can facilitate a comparison between the two media of cinema and photography, revealing their similarities and differences. This research seeks to answer the main question: What is the function of signs in photography and cinema based on Roland Barthes’ views? This question facilitates a comparative study of the similarities and differences between photography and cinema. The research method is descriptive-analytical with a comparative approach and semiotic theoretical foundations. Library sources are used to gather information. The comparison will be conducted using a lens comparison method. All relevant photographs in the photography section are selected from the book “Camera Lucida,” and the photographs related to cinema are selected frames from the film “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell”. The article aims to use a comparative tool to analyze and compare cinema and photography. The research shows a 72% similarity between photography and cinema when applying Barthes’ semiotic tools from “Camera Lucida.” This similarity arises from the examination and comparison of two essential elements of the sign in photographs, namely the Studium and the punctum, with the Studium including more implicit and explicit connotations. Whereas punctum’s connotations are primarily based on personal experience.