The Legacy of the Photographer

The study of photography has always focused on examining what is within the frame of the image and visible to the observer. However, this does not take what is outside of the frame into account, and therefore leaves off the most important aspect of the photo: the photographer. The photographer is the person actively causing the photo to exist, and therefore should have more recognition in the world of photographic inquiry. For the most part, photographers are largely ignored in the analysis of photos, and actively removed by editing techniques and specific framing of the image.

Photographs, as opposed to paintings, have an inherent claim to represent the truth since they are the product of a mechanical process. This aids the erasure of the photographer, since believing that photographs have not been altered by a human influence disregards the fact that it is indeed a human pressing the button on the camera. People have faith in photos to portray what is really happening without human mediation, and many problems result from this belief. This includes ignoring the photographer and their role in the process, since it is often assumed, and even emphasized, that a machine is doing the work in photography.

One instance where it is incredibly important to consider who took the photo is in the case of embedded reporting. These are reporters who are planted in specific places so that they only report from a certain point of view, one that is already established by the authorities. Clearly, this is problematic, especially when taking the photograph’s claim to truth into account. As a result, people examining these photos will believe that they contain the truth of the situation when in reality they are only a small piece of it. However, there is no viable alternative because the concept of free reporting is flawed as well. There is already an established iconography of suffering that reporters consistently fall back upon, so there is no way to tell if they are reporting what is happening or merely what they perceive to be happening through these established norms of photography. War has a tendency to become generic, with generic victims that are unrelatable to most people not involved. Photographers are influenced by these practices when taking photos, which is an important aspect to consider.

Photography has become central to our lives in the present day, with photos becoming ubiquitous in our society. However, the way we treat photos as independent entities is incorrect, and forces us to ignore the person behind the camera. There is a long history of either denying the existence of the photographer or ignoring them. Photographers are central to creating a photo, and they show their perspective through their lens. The photographer’s influence should be a part of how we interpret photos, and not just a side note in a history of images.