studium Q There are two elements of perception of a photograph: the photograph's studium and punctum. The studium is something perceived familiarly as a consequence of the viewer's cultural milieu. Barthes took this word from Latin. He did not know a French word which captured the meaning of this element as something broadly appreciated, even if not necessarily attractive, because of cultural norms about the world that a viewer is imbued with. He thought the Latin studium had this meaning. Perhaps the English word believability has nearly the same meaning as studium. 050521 what's it to you? who go blather from