The author Susan Sontag created a large number of critical works, involving criticism of photography, art, literature during her lifetime. Her work Regarding the Pain of Others focuses on war photography and explores the relationship between the suffering of the people reflected in the image and the viewer. Although the tragic images can arouse the audience’s compassion, if we believe in images without thinking about them, our moral judgment will only weaken. Sontag wrote her images in pure words, providing the viewer with a space to think about “the pain of others”. For most of us who live in a comfortable life, whether it is people who are suffering from the epidemic nearby or refugees who are displaced in the war in the distance, we are just spectators from beginning to end regarding their suffering.
We usually think that photos reflect the real situation. However, Sontag tells us that the authenticity of photojournalism should be questioned. Photographers do not always show us things as they really are. Even many times, photographers deliberately arrange the elements in a photograph to show what they want to show. At the same time, war photography may also be manipulated by government or commercial interests. The famous photo of the American flag being raised on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945, for example, turned out to be Associated Press reporter Joe Rosenthal’s “reconstruction” of the morning flag-raising ceremony with a larger flag later that day, after the capture of Mount Suribachi. Clearly, this photo is not true, but it satisfies the people’s thirst for victory, boosts morale, and becomes one of the most influential photos of the 20th century. Hence, sometimes authenticity of photograph will be ignored to achieve certain purpose.
When tragic images are arousing people’s compassion, Sontag pointed out that if compassion is not translated into action, it will become exhausted. What we do is to use photos to create sympathy, while at the same time more sympathy becomes withered, and people become numb. Imagine that when you saw the tragic experience of these people for the first time, you might be angry about the cruelty of war, but when you always see this kind of photos, can you still have such a strong feeling like the first time?
Citation:
https://www.supersummary.com/regarding-the-pain-of-others/summary/
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/48970
https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/aug/03/society
Hello, Great presentation! I really enjoyed reading this. It is very interesting to think about the representation of photos. Like you said many people believe that it reflects a real life situation. Although many photos are fake and do not truly represent how the people in the photo are feeling. Many people fake their emotions to get a photo.
Hello, I like your introduction very much. Indeed, compared with literary works, the criticism of photographic works is easier to be perceived by public readers, which is why today’s media prefer to use pictures rather than slogans to criticize some social events. But similarly, as the public sees more and more critical pictures, the influence of pictures on them will become smaller and smaller. This is also one of the points introduced in your article.
Hi! Very interesting presentation! Similarly to what Sontag says, when people look at pictures they assume what they are looking at is authentic but we forget how easy it is for people to alter the pictures which is why the authenticity of photojournalism should be questioned.
Thank you for the presentation!
I know I am one that finds myself trying to figure out what is going on in a photo and don’t really trust a lot of media that I see for the simple truth of most of the time the truth of the real situation is altered in some form or another from the journalist to fit their reporting.
Hi! Your presentation was well written! I like how you said “relationship” between the suffering in the photo and the viewer. This is interesting as it is not just a photo but a connection created. It allows for meaning and feelings establishing a story. It presents thoughts and connections within the viewer and what they view.
Hello,
I think you analyzed this very thoughtfully and made great points to educate us further on this weeks reading. I think this is important to talk about because we could be subject to a single story and it is important to realize that what we see may not always be the truth.
Hello! Thank you for an enlightening presentation! It’s always interesting to see photos in a deeper lens and to view them as more than just simple photos that capture the moment going on. We also tend to see photos and interpret them as the truth, but we forget that photoshop/altercations exist.
Hi! Great context presentation. I’ve never heard of the term “photojournalism” but we absolutely see it everyday in the media. It is really interesting to note how they change our perspectives and creates a different narrative than what’s true.