[HPforGrownups] Wizarding Photos and Paintings

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 58605

Gina wrote:
> I was pondering the images in the wizarding world, and I wondered.  Do
> photographs talk?  Or only paintings?  How much of the person's
personality
> gets infused in the image?
>
> We've seen Harry's image physically protesting being in the same image as
> Lockhart.  And we've seen Sirius Black blankly staring and blinking.
> Dumbledore's image merely appears and disappears in his chocolate frog
> wizard card.  Other moving (but not speaking) images have included the
> goblins at Gringotts, the Weasley family on holiday and the flying Ford
Anglia
> (all in the Daily Prophet).  Also, there are photos in the book collection
Hagrid
> made for Harry of his parents, and I don't recall much about their
character.
> But have we seen any other wizarding world photographs?  Any talking
> photos?

I have heard that people in some cultures fear having their photos taken
because they believe that a little piece of their souls have been captured.
I am not positive if this is true or which cultures, but I have heard this
more than once.  On thinking on the wizard photos, I do wonder if JK
borrowed this belief.  When the picture of Harry and Lockhart was taken,
Harry may have been standing there allowing the picture to be taken, but
inside he really wanted to squirm away and get out of there.  The picture
reflects this.  We see the pictures in Harry's book where everyone is happy
and waving and smiling.  I am in particular thinking of the wedding picture
with Sirius in it.  This would reflect their inner feelings at the time as
well, since it was a wonderful day for all three people.  The later picture
of Sirius, on the other hand, from the Daily Prophet, is an accurate
reflection of the state of his soul after being in Azkaban for over a
decade.  I don't believe the photos are capable of actually speaking, but
are more just a reflection of the subject(s) soul(s) at the instant of
taking, their thoughts and feelings at the time of capture.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova