I photographed 15 symbols or icons that I came across while walking my dog around my neighborhood this morning. I hardly made it out of my driveway before I was almost done! There really are symbols and signs everywhere around us. We are so desensitized to their presence that we walk by them everyday without really seeing them. I had no idea how many symbols I could find just getting ready to walk my dog, before we even left!
I took this photo as I was putting my shoes on in preparation for our walk. That's my dog Hemi in the background, he obviously hasn't figured out he's going for a walk yet. The symbol in this photo is the logo and brand name on the shoes, "HI-TEC". I find this a fairly ineffective design because I had no idea that this was the brand of shoes I owned until I took the photo. Maybe because it's not a well known brand like Adidas or Nike, or maybe because the logo blends into the design of the shoe too much.
I found the next symbol after I put Hemi's leash on, as you can see it has an American flag pattern. This is a symbol, not an icon, because it does not resemble that which it represents. The American flag is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world, and it has different connotations to different people. It's obviously a symbol that represents this country, and it can also mean freedom, pride, sacrifice, and many other things. However, when this symbol is on a dog leash it's meaning is not so strong.
The next symbol is the same one but this is actually an American flag rather than a dog leash, so I think the symbolism and possible connotations are much stronger. As a soldier's wife, the flag hanging out front of our house is pretty standard, but it still means a lot to me to walk out and see it. This is one symbol that doesn't just blend into the landscape for me, maybe because of the Army or because I spent a few months living abroad on my own. Both of these things have really contributed to my interpretation of this important symbol.
Now that I've got my shoes on, got a leash on my dog, and stepped off the front porch, the next symbol I see is the Jeep emblem on my car. This symbol obviously identifies the car as a Jeep, but it could have deeper connotations. When most people think of Jeep they think of a Jeep Wrangler 4x4. Although I drive an SUV, the Jeep name might stir up feelings of being rugged and tough.
Then I noticed another symbol on my car, the license plate, specifically the words "Arizona Grand Canyon State" and the cactus and landscape in the background. This is considered an icon because it resembles the Arizona desert. This represents the state of Arizona very well, the sunset, the cactus, the mountain, and the large stretch of sky. Since I'm living away from Arizona, this also has connotations of home.
One more symbol before I leave my driveway, this is the sticker that symbolizes my car is registered with the Army base. This means that I have the privilege of driving on post and I have access to those resources.
At the beginning of our walk I noticed a satellite dish with the DirecTV logo on it. I think this is a well designed logo, simple and almost imitating the shape and design of the satellite dish itself.
The next symbol is the stop sign. It's well known as a traffic sign signaling drivers to stop at an intersection. It also symbolizes a danger, cross traffic, that requires the driver's attention.
This is a mailbox I came across that is shaped like a school bus. This would be considered an icon because it represents a school bus and it looks like a school bus. It also symbolizes children, meaning that the family probably has school aged kids.
A little further down the road I found a Beware of Dog sign. This has connotations of caution and possibly fear for some, and can be a strong deterrent for possible burglars. The design of the actual sign is red with block letters, reinforcing the message of danger. Of course, the Rottweiler standing next to it is a pretty good reinforcement too!
Another symbol of caution is this ADT sign. Most people would recognize that this is signaling the house has a security system in place. This means different things to different people; to the homeowners it's probably a symbol of safety. To a possible intruder it would symbolize caution and probably cause them to target a different house. I think that the color, placement, shape and size of the sign are all characteristics that make people think of a security system.
Just down the road is a symbol with two meanings: the speed that is legal to drive on this road and a more personal motivator to obey the law. The speed limit sign is communicating the legal speed limit, and the children at play sign is appealing to the driver's emotions in an effort to convince them not to speed. The figure representing a child is an icon and is supposed to motivate people to be more cautious to avoid hurting a child.
This sign is one that I hadn't noticed before, it says "sewer line crossing." I'm not sure if this is supposed to warn people from digging in the area or warn them to stay out of the area completely. Either way it was effective for me, I don't really want to be messing around in an area marked with a sewer line crossing sign.
This is a sign we see all the time to symbolize that a house is for sale or rent. In this case it looks like the owner is looking to either sell or rent the house, since this sign has both phrases. The shape of this sign is what makes it commonly recognized as some kind of realty company's sign.
This symbol is attached to a mailbox post for a newspaper carrier to put the daily newspaper in. The newspaper's name on the box signifies which paper this family subscribes too, and serves as an advertisement for the paper. Since it is a bright color it is noticeable and easy to distinguish from the actual mailbox.
That was the end of mine and Hemi's walk this morning, I had no idea the number of signs and symbols I would run into. I'll probably notice them all a little more from now on!
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