Photographs and Politics

Essay # 825

A look at why, in order to grasp the full meaning of a photograph, it is imperative to examine the social situation in which it was taken.

1,290 words () | 1 source | 1999 United States

Paper Summary:

"There are many different kinds of photographs. Some pictures portray natural setting such as landscapes, animals and other things which people find engaging and interesting. Human beings, however, are often the center of photographs, as people are usually socially minded and spend a major part of their time observing one another. By photographing human beings in certain predicaments, photographers often deal with political controversies. Photographers often attempt to mend certain social and political wrongs, using the camera as a tool of political action. But even without such purpose, photographs that deal with human beings often have an underlying social, political and historical message. Photographs that deal with human beings often reveal their feelings, hopes and aspirations; consequently, most photographs, notwithstanding their artistic merits, have a social and political significance."