Exercise - Symbols

Concept - Growth

Symbol:  Construction
A photo of building work in progress, or a crane for example.  I would possibly use two photos, one at the early stages and another more advanced.
Symbol: Money
Photo stacks of coins getting progressively taller, or make a model building our of coins.

Concept - Excess

Symbol: Alcoholic drinks, particularly expensive spirits or champagne
A picture of a recycling box full to the brim, or overflowing with empty bottles.  Alternatively an empty room, made to look a bit trashed and with empty bottles everywhere.
Food:  Ridiculous sized portions on a stacked plate, showing hands holding cutlery and ready to tuck in.  Or an over the top crazy, stacked sandwich

Concept - Crime

Symbol:  Blood
Fake blood leading to a door, or on a brilliant white background with a bloody knife.
Symbol: Broken glass
A smashed window or door left ajar.
Symbol: Clothing associated with burglary, such as balaclava and gloves
A still life of the items laid out on a table in the foreground, with a silhouette / shadow of a human in the distant background.

Concept - Silence

Symbol:  Ear plugs
A couple sitting at a table, looking down, both with obvious ear plugs in
Symbol: A broken radio
A smashed up old radio and hammer, maybe someone sitting in an armchair behind.  The radio symbolizes noise, so one that is clearly broken can be a symbol of the opposite, silence.

Concept - Poverty

Symbol - Starvation / lack of food
An open fridge with barely anything in it.
Symbol - Poorly built / run down looking home(s)
House(s) with paint peeling, in a poor state of repair etc.  This would perhaps be more effective with lots of properties in frame.