RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and JournalismRUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism2312-92202312-9247Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)4672Principles of message formation in a photoSabuninA EКафедра массовых коммуникаций; Российский университет дружбы народов; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia-Peoples' Friendship University of Russia150420094778207092016Copyright © 2009,2009This article addresses main principles of the making the messages in modern mass media by the instrumentality of photojournalism. A photo represents a text with a message which consists of signs. The order of perception of such a message depends on the composition and the accompanying verbal message which set time-space characteristics of the represented objects.photojournalismphotoicon signconceptimagetextsign systemmessagecompositionmediaфотожурналистикафотографияиконический знакконцептизображениетекстзнаковая системасообщениекомпозицияСМИ