Connotation vs Denotation - Adele & Kendrick Lamar

Connotation vs Denotation

From Adele's album cover to 'Adele 25' we can see the camera angle is an extreme close up. As the camera is so close up we cannot see Adele's body language but we can see her facial expression, which seems very serious, this could connote that the songs in her album may be deep and meaningful. The cover of the album is black and white which could connote the music within the album may be of a sad, nostalgic type. The denotations of Adele's album cover shows her looking directly into the camera which could suggest that she means what she says. Adele uses a ,ode of address (staring at her audience) to entice them and make them further empathize with her lyrics. The fact it is monochrome sets the mood for the album; a solemn one.

On Kendrick Lamar's album cover to 'Good Kid in a Mad City', the camera angle is mid shot and the artist, Kendrick Lamar, is looking away from the camera which could suggest he is pensive and in deep thought. His facial expression connote that he is possibly a deep thinker. the fact he is not dressed formally and he is just wearing a plain shirt connotes to his humble lifestyle despite his wealth. The fact the cover is monochrome is to show that in his songs, he is discussing his past and reflecting in the light and darkness (highs and lows). His facial expression suggests he is looking back on the past, analysing with detail. The title, contrasts the artist with where he grew up, it denotes that Lamar was a sane and relatively well behaved youngster in a violent, rough city, It attracts the audience because of all these characteristics people want an insight into the artists life.

The similarities between the two album covers include, the serious facial expressions on the artists and the monochrome mood, both suggesting that the albums are going to deep, meaningful and thought provoking. The differences are the mode of address, Adele is looking into the camera, on the other hand Lamar is looking away.