The PHOTO OP series — to which SEMIOVOX has invited our semiotician colleagues from around the world to contribute — analyzes photos that we’ve snapped while “off the job.”

Taken in Fiji. Currency, a thing of value, often commemorates things of national value — like presidents or national animals. For Fiji… rugby is the valuable on the valuable.  

Taken at an abandoned/defunct school in the Solomon Islands. A lost memory, lost no more — for an interpretant was present to complete the sign.

Taken in Los Angeles. This blurry image (an accidental artifact) from the Psychiatry: An Industry of Death Museum oddly resembles shot from the perspective of a psychiatric patient as he/she stirs… after having had unspeakable things done to them by three crazed doctors. 

PHOTO OP: Mariane Cara (Brazil) on LA LUCHA CONTINUA | Aiyana Gunjan (India) on YAMRAJ | Greg Rowland (England) on I ❤️ FOOD | Gabriela Pedranti (Spain) on NOT SO TRIVIAL | Biba Allarakia (Saudi Arabia) on ALL THAT GLITTERS | Brian Khumalo (South Africa) on A LOST MEMORY | Becks Collins (England) on A MILLENNIAL ON THE BRINK | Samuel Grange (France) on SLOW DOWN | Rachel Lawes (England) on DESKTOP COLLECTIONS | Marie Lena Tupot (USA) on BOX OFFICE | Sónia Marques (Portugal) on SWISS-NESS | Serdar Paktin (Turkey / England) on BOTTLE SERVICE | Stefania Gogna (Italy) on OPEN-AIR MUSEUM | Charles Leech (Canada) on IS IT IRONIC? | Kishore Budha (England) on DOWN THE TUBE | Josh Glenn (USA) on JOINED AT THE DIP | Mark Lemon (England) on SHOP LOCAL | William Liu (China) on SWAN SONG | Malcolm Evans (Wales) on CHOCOCRACK | Paulina Goch-Kenawy (Poland) on POLAND’S NEW (HI)STORY | Adelina Vaca (Mexico) on LOVE TRAVELS | Natasha Delliston (England) on NATURE BATHING | Ramona Lyons (USA) on TBD | Victoria Gerstman (England) on TBD | Ximena Tobi (Argentina) on TBD.

Also see these international semio series: COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | MAKING SENSE | COLOR CODEX | DECODER | CASE FILE