Pros And Cons Of Photojournalism

From the years 1914-1985 three major wars occurred: World War 1, World War 2, and Vietnam. These were not only trying times for our country but also for the world. Over 13 million men were drafted during this time, and approximately 77 million people were killed. About this time, in 1925, photojournalism started, and became a helpful asset to document and share with the world the events that were taking place. These images were picked up and published by newspapers allowing for the people back home to keep up with the war. The still photographs produced during this time were a witness to the horrors of war, one’s loyalty to his country, and the heart of humanity, leaving a lasting impression on society. If we were to all draw our interpretation …show more content…
For one, the perspective was skewed. The public only saw what the publishers pushed through, and the publishers saw what the photographers decided to take. Intentionally or not war photography tended to focus on the victimization that war creates. While in some cases this may be true about war, there are also other reasons for fighting. What about the freedoms and rights, that as Americans, we are privileged to have? What about the land and the people back home? These were some reasons that made fighting worth it. While there is a lot of pain in war it is also important to remember what one is willing to die for. To some people it is one’s country. The viewers also played a part in skewing the perspective. Especially in Vietnam when war support was very controversial. Protesters picked images that supported their cause. If that standpoint was bad they would use images of war violence, injured soldiers, and protesters. The other way that perspective is skewed is the fact that we are drawn to look at the bad things, and forget to look for the good. It was said that “one bombed hotel is more photo-worthy than a hundred rebuilt schools”