Keywords
photography
aesthetic perception
affect
neuroaesthetics
facial expression
portrait
cognitive mechanisms
image interpretation
phototherapy
How to Cite
Abstract
The article presents a comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms underlying the interpretation of human emotions in photography, integrating psychological, aesthetic, and neurocognitive approaches. The focus is placed on how a photographic image elicits, models, and transforms the viewer’s emotional states, as well as on how contemporary technologies (including algorithmic emotion-recognition systems and visual analytics) influence these processes. Research methodology. The study draws upon an analysis of a wide range of scholarly sources, including works in experimental psychology, neuroaesthetics, cognitive science, and contemporary photographic theory. Results. The findings indicate that the interpretation of emotions in photographic images is a multilayered process shaped by the interaction of several components: neurocognitive mechanisms that govern the encoding of facial cues, attentional dynamics, and affective resonance; aesthetic properties of the image – such as composition, lighting, color, and symmetry – which significantly modulate emotional impact; and cultural–semantic codes that frame meaning and guide the viewer’s interpretive pathways. The study demonstrates that positive facial expressions (particularly smiling) statistically enhance the aesthetic appeal of portrait photography by activating mechanisms of social trust and emotional resonance, whereas negative expressions tend to prompt deeper and more attentive visual engagement. Photography is shown to function not only as a representation of emotion but also as an active affective trigger that interacts with the observer’s bodily and perceptual systems. At the same time, algorithmic emotion-recognition systems reveal considerable limitations when interpreting multilayered and context-dependent expressions, underscoring the necessity of combining technical and humanities-based approaches.
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