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Abstract
This paper concerns the contemporary status of the documentary or news photograph of suffering. Using the paradigmatic case of the return of photojournalists to the scenes of compelling images they have made, it argues for the ethical value of reconnecting them with the lives and voices of those photographed. The paper draws upon theories of photojournalism that emphasize the need to take these images’ connection to the real seriously and describe the civic space they open up between photographers, the photographed, and the public. When photojournalists return, the paper suggests, they are confronted with these contemporary expectations of the photograph, expressed as both political and ethical demands. It proposes also that the reflexivity of the return can allow photojournalists to negotiate some of the ethical problems that arise when making photographs of others’ misfortune. In particular, it can transform the return into an act of caring. These points are used to explore ways in which the discourse and further images that surround a powerful image can reconnect audiences with those photographed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. This is not to deny any philanthropic intent: the magazine set up a fund and partnered with aid agencies to help Afghan girls access education. McCurry and his editors also expressed their regard for Gula’s welfare.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Donald Matheson
Donald Matheson is associate professor in media and communication at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He is the author of Media Discourses (McGraw-Hill International, 2005) and co-author with Stuart Allan of Digital War Reporting (Polity, 2009), and he co-edits Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics. He writes on news discourse, communication ethics, and journalistic practices, with a particular emphasis on emerging digital textual forms.