Brooke

=The Societal Implications of Photography =

=== "All I can do in my writing is to stimulate a certain amount of thought, clarify some technical facts and date my work.But when I preach sharpness, brilliancy, scale, etc., I am just mouthing words, because no words can really describe those terms and qualities it takes the actual print to say, 'here it is.' " -Ansel Adams ===

Photography is undeniably impactful. A simple photograph can ellict a whole range of emotions, from nostalgia to outrage, from happiness to inspiration. Photographs can also cause the public to get involved in a situation or spike interest in a culture. Photography has many uses and with these broad uses comes broad impacts and issues. Two of the main societal impacts are desensitization and public trust. The societal implications of photography have been an issue riveting researchers and the public alike, since the very beginning of the field of photography. This is because photography, in its purest form, captures the truth, no matter how shocking or astonishing. The truth is impossible to avoid, especially when presented in visual form, and it is this truth that evokes such an emotion from the public.

The Begining: [[image:gettysburg1.jpg width="295" height="219" align="right" caption="Civil War photograph titled, "Home of the Rebel Sharpshooter""]]
Since the invention of photography in the 1820s, the public has reacted to the images produced. The first well known example of this is the public reaction to Civil War Photographs. During the time of the Civil War, photography was a relatively new medium and the technology was very limited. Cameras required extremely long exposure times and the subjects of the photographs had to remain completely still or the photo would blur. Therefore, the photographers were unable to capture action and were left to capture the scenes before and after the battle. At the time, the photographers thought the public wanted to experience the brutal honestly of war. However, the public felt otherwise and were so scared and outraged by the photographs that the photographs were buried in vaults and libraries for many years after. To learn more about this topic, watch this PBS History Detective video.

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Timeline:
This is a visual timeline of infamous photographs that have evoked a reaction from the public. Keep in mind that this reaction is not necessarily negative, it is simply a strong emotional reaction evoked by the photograph.

This photograph is titled "Migrant Mother" and is from a series by Dorothea Lange. The series was centered around her month-long trip photographing migratory farm labor. It was taken in 1936 in Nipomo, California, during the Resettlement Administration. This photograph features a migrant mother worriedly staring out at the fields while her exhausted children are draped around her. This photograph was not posed or created, it was simply natural and this contributed to the degree of the reaction. Upon seeing this photograph, the American public was reminded of the great economic hardship that was upon them. This photograph evoked and still evokes simpathy for the mother featured. It showcases her struggles and compels the public to wish they could help. This photograph was one of the first to cross over from landscapes, to one with an emotion-evoking subject matter. It was also one of the first examples that captured the feelings of a society. For more information on this piece, click here.

This photograph is famous, to say the very least. It is titled, "Rasing the Flag on Iwo Jima", taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945. It depicts five marines and one navy corpsman rasing an American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. This photograph is perhaps the most reprinted photograph of all time. It won a Pulitizer Prize the same year it was published, the only photograph to ever do so. This photograph is well known within the American public as a symbol of patrotism. This photograph, when published, instantly evoked a sense of unity and pride from American society. It was used as a tool to spread support for the war, and was even later used as the symbol behind the war bonds campaign. Its legacy continues to pass on, as seen through the memorial adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, which features its likeness. This photograph also represents the beginning of the transition into deliberate use of an emotion-evoking image to motivate the public. For a more in-depth look at this infamous photograph, click here. Or for an interview with the photographer, Joe Rosenthal, click here.

This photograph is also a photograph that falls into the category of extremely famous. It is titled, "V-J Day in Times Square", and was captured by Albert Eisenstaedt. It was captured on August 14, 1945, during the joyous aftermath following President Truman's announcement that the War on Japan was over. Both the nurse and the sailor still remain un-identified, despite the fact that multiple people have come forward claiming to be one of the subjects of the photograph. This photograph is distinctly well-known because of the emotional impact it had within society. This photo clearly captures the joyous feeling of the moment, which was the same feeling spreading across America at the time. This photograph is also so popular because it allows those who were there to have their feelings of relief and celebration come rushing back. This photo also serves to evoke feelings of patrotism from those who view it. To learn more about the story that led up to the kiss that captured the world, click here.

This photograph is one that shocked the world. It was taken by Eddie Adams on February 1, 1968, of Nguyen Ngoc Loan, a South Vietnamese General executing a Viet Cong officer. This photograph won a Pulitzer Prize and was perhaps the most memorable of the Vietnam War. As soon as this photograph was released, the Anti-War movement picked it up and used it as fuel for their cause. This photo disturbed many who viewed it and evoked extreme sympathy for the man being executed. However, the story that went along with this photograph was mostly left out because it contrasted the societal emotions. The officer being executed in the photograph had been caught by the South Vietnamese generals after murdering all of their families, and leaving the bodies in a ditch on the side of the road. Upon hearing this story, most viewers change their emotions towards this photograph. They lose their sympathy for the man being executed and feel less hatred for the General, considering he just lost his entire family. This photograph is significant because it was one of the first truly disturbing photographs that was published in the media. It showed the shift into the practice of showing photographs to the public, despite their controversial subjects. This choice was especially impactful in times of war. For more information on Nguyen Ngoc Loan, click here.

This photograph was named one of the Top 10 National Geographic Cover Photographs. It was taken by Steve McCurry in June 1985. The photo became known as "Afghan Girl". At the time the photo was taken, McCurry was shooting in a refugee camp in Pakistan. The subject of the photograph was identified 17 years later, as Sharbat Gula, a member of the Pashtun tribe, the most warlike of the Afghan tribes. When she was photographed, she was living in the refugee camp for those who fled from a stalemated war that has forced a quarter of the population into exile. This image, when published, evoked such sympathy from the public. It was clear through her sea green eyes that she was haunted by her past and had a difficult future ahead of her. Her eyes challenge the viewers and it is almost impossible to look away. Just the sheer look in her eyes caused an impact and brought further awareness to the terrors of the war. This photograph was notable because it showed a turn in which photography became a tool to motivate the public to take an interest in other conflicts that did not directly affect the United States. It is through photographs like this one that American society chose to be more globally aware. For more information on the idenification of Sharbat Gula, click here.

This photograph is the image most associated with the Fall of the Berlin Wall. It was captured by photographer John Gaps on November 12, 1989. It is titled "The Power of a Single Sledgehammer". Amid some confusion, the East Berlin government had declared that anyone wanting a Visa would be granted one. It turn, people flooded the check points and the guards had no choice but to open them. This was when the idea behind wall was technically fallen. Three days later, however, thousands of Berliners came to the wall and began tearing it down. This was an event that sent ripples of emotion throughout the world. As pictures, such as this one, began to surface, it only magnified the feelings of victory rushing through both Germany and the world. This photograph, to German citizens, may evoke feelings of joy and unity, whereas the rest of the public may gain a sense of rightousness and victory upon looking at this photograph. Photographs that captured the fall of the Berlin Wall are some of the more recent examples of the political uses of photography. This photo not only captured a controversial political revolution, but also allowed the world the weigh in on the topic. To learn more about the fall of the Berlin Wall, click here.

Current Industry:
Knowledge of the current industry is important because the industry is undergoing a change and facing a couple of issues. And whether the public recognizes it or not, these issues are going to affect them. Any changes in the industry of photojournalism or photography will affect the news and media that the public receives and how they receive it. What if one day, people sat down at the breakfast table and open their newspapers, only to find that the papers had no photographs within it? Photography has become an undeniable and unignorable part of life and in order to be a responsible consumer, knowing the issues facing the industry is a necessity. Currently, all media industries are facing economic difficulties due to an overload of media material. This is true in photography as well, as the amount of photographs produced continues to rise each day. Therefore the market has become more competitive and now requires more of a background from the photographers in order to be competitive. Also, due to the overload of images, researchers and the public alike have focused on the implications of these images on society. Most talked about and researched is the subject of desensitization. In simple terms, desensitization is the fear that the public will stop being affected or moved emotionally after repeatedly viewing photos once deemed disturbing. The second issue that is of much importance in the photography industry, is objectivity. Objectivity is the concept that each photograph or news report should be reported on without any personal bias interferring. In the field of photojournalism and the industry of photography, these two issues are the most riveting at this time. These two issues can define everything from what the subject matter is limited to, or if it is even limited, to how the photograph is taken and where it is distributed to. The media industry is currently in a state of transition and only time will determine the final outcome.

Navigation:
Home Desensitization Objectivity

Resources:
|jdbufhjnh||ssJN "Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies"||sljh','');|Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies; Feb2009, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p43-52, 10p [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] Journal of Mass Media Ethics; 1987, Vol.2 Issue 2, p 82-92, 11p Semiotica, 2009, Vol 174 Issue 1-4, p181-202, 22p Javnost-The Public; 2007, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p65-78, 14p, 6 Black and White Photographs = =