'Not Just A Document'

People always hear about the various wars that happened, but not seeing the action. In the essay “The War Photo No One Would Publish”, Torie Rose DeGhett elaborate on how the Gulf War pictures were considered to be too graphic for people to see in America. Though the war happened in 1991, DeGhett wanted to focus on why the press in America did not want to publish those pictures. In the essay, DeGhett pointed out

Teju Cole, in his essay “Against Neutrality,” dissected the tones behind photography- which he believes are thought of as unbiased towards the subject. The power of words and of photos is crucial to Cole’s essay. He states that images can “make a grim situation palatable” because of the photographer’s craftiness in selection (Cole 1). To anyone who isn’t an experienced photographer these tricks can be hard to see but Cole provides further insight from the historian, John Edwin Mason. Expectantly, Mason sheds light behind the misconception on photography, how the “manipulation in photography isn’t really about Photoshop or darkroom tricks”, but the style, angle and other aspects of taking photos (Cole 1).

While Postman points out the literal meaning of photography is “writing with light”; the two are from completely different universes when it comes to public discourse (p. 71). Unlike typography, photography cannot offer assertions, make propositions and offers no commentary. As long as it is not an altered photograph, it has no choice but to be true (p. 73). Thus, the photograph is only able to capture a moment in time and does not have the ability to comment on that moment. Our author contends, where language presents the world as an idea, the photographs only option is to show the world as an object (p. 72). Whereas in language, the correct context requires consideration of what is said before and after, in photography there is no before and after, only the snapshot of time. Therefore, by its very nature photography is context-free (p. 73). As photography immersed itself in the American culture author, Daniel Boorstin called this “the graphic revolution.” Postman is unequivocal on the point that the traditional forms of information, news, and even reality itself received an impairment by this new focus on images. For examples, he cites billboards, posters and advertisements. He points to magazines Life, Look and several newspapers. The picture was the focal point, and the writing was forced to take a less dominate roll and sometimes done away with altogether (p.

In addition, Rosler pointed out that a documentary photo has two paths. The images in the first “immediate” moment captured to be testimony evidences to support or argue against social practice. The second “aesthetic-historical” moment characterized as having less defined boundaries to evaluate a photograph, which means the traditional subjective judgments of an image have fell below its well-formedness and aesthetic pleasure it brings to the public.

There has been many great boxers that have participated in the sport of boxing, but Muhammad Ali is possibly the greatest of them all. Ali had great movement in the ring but an even better record. The author in the article “Muhammad Ali” states that “He started fighting when he was twelve years old” (1). He grew up in segregation which made his younger life difficult. In this essay, I will examine the life, the career, and the legacy of Muhammad Ali.

An addition to the notion of neglecting the subject of the photograph, many journalists, and photojournalists, especially in hostile situations, are caught in the dilemma of creating a relationship with their subject. This ethical situation can deter the photographer from either capturing the photo or publishing the photo as well. Daniel Bersack, who was mentioned before commentating on ethical guidelines, also writes about personal relationships and assistance of the photojournalists to the people they are attempting to document, especially in Vietnam. He brings up the interesting and controversial dilemma if the photographer should “render aid to their subjects during active combat” as seen during the Napalm Girl picture (Bersack). Bersack also interviewed

Their print journalist counterparts, who are afforded not only the luxury of editing, but also a few column inches within which to develop their perception of the story fall into a different category all together. A photojournalist must ascertain the defining image of a news event as it is happening and capture it on film. If he or she is doing the job correctly, a reader can get a very good idea of what happened without even reading the accompanying article. There is no luxury of editing in photojournalism, the moment is either captured forever, or it isn't. If a fantastic shot is missed, it is gone forever.

To craft an answer to this question, one first needs to examine the general impact that photography has had on the world and on past global matters. The scholarly article, “Photography: A Communication Tool,” offers insight into how photographs have been used to promote social change and have acted almost as a form of propaganda; it further claims that physical pictures allow for photographers to communicate the

The advent of photojournalism created new opportunities for photographers and the public. These individuals were now able to travel anywhere to document objects and events because of rapid technological advancements. The most significant impact of photojournalism was its ability to attain for social change by illustrating the problems associated with the society. It has opened up a new field that became extremely influential in conveying social issues to the general public. Social issues like the Vietnam war that was brought to the eyes and ears of the public.

Christine Rosen, author of “The Image Culture”, talks about the way the human culture is changing because the world is now in an era dominated by the image. Another author that believes the image culture is tearing apart society is Torie DeGhett, who is a famous journalist who writes for the Atlantic. Christine Rosen is successful in her argument about image culture by successfully showing how technology, such as Photoshop, affects images, and by using examples of war and natural disasters to persuade her readers into realizing the dangers of the image and the “destruction” to come. Torie DeGhett is successful in her argument about visual culture by successfully using pictures of war and using examples from editorials in newspapers that didn’t print Jarecke’s photo to get readers to realize the modern fixation of the image and the long term dangers of visual exposure. DeGhett supports Rosen’s point that everyone has the power to create, distort, and transmit images which evidently alters people’s understandings and acceptance of what they see questionable by backing up Rosen’s views on the topic of

The pictures selected in this paper are particularly informative pieces that link Vietnam War with not only those who fighting the war, but also those who either directly or indirectly

Documentary photography has the ability to invoke social reform. It allows viewers to maintain their distance and choose their level of involvement in issues at hand. When subjects are portrayed as sufferers, feelings such as sadness, shock, outrage, desperation, anger or disgust are evoked from the viewer. As a result, the viewer wants to see change and are encouraged to act upon these feelings. 
 One of the first major instances where social reform was seen as a result of documentary photography was the portrayal of the Vietnam War in the media.

The violent markings of the photo album and its images, however, produce an equally powerful message that jars the memory as it disrupts and distorts the photographic chronicle of her life and that of her family and friends. The result is a complex visual experience that addresses the use of images in producing knowledge and making history.

Truth and Reconciliation Media Summative 1. Understanding Media Texts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts; 2. Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques: identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning; 3. Creating Media Texts: create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques; 4. Reflecting on Skills and Strategies: reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts.

Set against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath, the episode examines how photographers dealt with dramatic and tragic events like D-Day, the Holocaust and Hiroshima, and the questions their often extraordinary pictures raise about history as seen