237130_A2_Wk7_ Task #1_The Myth of Photographic Truth_03/05/2016
The myth of photographic truth describes how there are many aspects to a photograph that betray its prejudices and opinions, like the views of the photographer. A photographic image cannot be a wholly truthful representation of the world as there will always be some degree of artistic intervention. Understanding that photographic truth is a misconception is highly important to the analysis of visual texts because it takes into account the ideas of context and artist intention. This idea relates extremely well to identity and the self as it explains how a photographic image is not a clinical truth of what it captures. A photograph gives clues as to the intention of the person who took the photograph, for example a ‘selfie’ is not a direct representation of the subject, but a manipulation of the truth into how one would like themselves to be viewed. Each individual will interpret an image differently due to their cultural context (connotation), and therefore said image cannot possibly portray an universal truth(denotation), “everyone has their own truth,” (Mark Osterman, 2012). Last year, an ad campaign run by Canon Australia showed the effects of photographer bias by having six photographers photograph one actor, in each instance being given a different persona. The interpretations of the same man through imagery when the photographer was given a different context for their subject is fascinating.
petapixel.com/2015/11/04/6-photographers-asked-to-shoot-portraits-of-1-man-with-a-twist/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-TyPfYMDK8
Mark Osterman, The Met. “A Photographic Truth”. YouTube. 2012. Web.
Sturken, Marita, and Lisa Cartwright. “Images, Power and Politics”. Practices Of Looking : An Introduction To Visual Culture.: New York : Oxford University Press, 2009. 9-48. Print.
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