War Photography Research Paper

Documentary and War Photography “Is it in the interest of purity that society should hang its morally stained linens upon its lines to be stared at?” Jacob Riis, a documentary photographer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries asked this very question in an effort to stir the thoughts of documentary photographers around the world, as well as their audiences. Documentary photography can be defined as a type of photography that documents historically relevant events and scenes as well as those occurring in daily life. Its goal is to educate and inform viewers on the experiences of others living in the contextually foreign and peripheral. While the primary idea of documentary photography is to document, it has since been critiqued for not meeting or staying true to this definition. Solomon Godeau in Who is Speaking Thus? questions this about this photographic style. She says, While photographs remain the only form of pictorial evidence routinely admitted in the courtroom, the once universal belief in the camera’s truth has been belied by everything from outright trumperies to the powerless faces of Vogue models. (Godeau) …show more content…
Photographs were once believed to be factual, accurate, and honest, but since, have become something to question when analyzing, even the photographs we see in our everyday lives. Whether it be the photoshopped models in magazines or pictures in the animal helpline commercials, a gray area has become apparent. Any photograph can be framed in such a way that will enhance its features or exaggerate its message. The photographic truth that was once known has evolved into a question of whether or not a photograph can be trusted, something most people do not think about when looking at an image they assume to be