A unique aspect of human society has been encapsulated by art, which can speak to our psyches in a manner that words simply cannot. Before the invention of photography, paintings and sketches were the most common forms of visual art. In the past, kings and queens would go to great lengths to hire a skilled artist to immortalize their likeness in a way that reflected their authority and honor. The capacity to instantly capture an image in the real world after the invention of the camera broadened the scope of visual art. Consequently, the field of photography was born, which brought with it, a myriad of stunning, and emotionally stirring photographs that have had considerable influence on the society (Daniel, 2016). By examining renown photographs, it is possible to delve deeper into the relationship between powerful photography and the course of human events. Photography, through the ability to capture events happening in a visceral and undistorted manner, has had a profound and discernible influence on society and the course of human events.
Photography and its Influence on War
War is perhaps society’s most abrasive and detrimental societal condition. Conflict ensues in human society as a result of a multitude of causal factors; betrayal, love, hate, envy or the love for power. While other artistic forms such as literature have commented on war and its detrimental effects on the community, representation of war in a visual form serves to further resonate the viewers with the gruesome intricacies of conflict. An example of the power of a photograph particularly in the face of war is Nick Ut’s The Terror of War. In this photograph, Nick Ut captures an image of children running from a napalm bombing in their residence during the Vietnam War.
Fig 1. The Terror of War Photograph by Nick Ut 1972.
The image captures an entire war in one image, the atrocities of which were previously unknown to the public within the U.S. Though it is not qualitatively possible to validate whether or not this photograph had any effect in the public outcry that ended the Vietnam war, it is an intense snapshot of the horrid effects of war on the society. Consequently, Nick Ut’s photograph won the Pulitzer Prize for its role in exposing the intricacies of the Vietnamese war not only to the American population but to the entire world at large ("The Terror of War: The 100 Most Influential Photos of All Time" 2017). Photography allows us to capture unfiltered reality, free from bureaucratic distortion and propaganda. Ut’s The Terror of War raised the curtain on the faceless brutality that the Vietnamese war had resulted to.
Upon encountering the group of children running from the village, Ut recalls wondering why the little girl was not wearing clothes. The realization that she must have been exposed to the toxic napalm hit him. She screamed “Too hot! Too hot!” and he proceeded to aid the young girl. The photograph captures the visceral and unforgiving nature of war, injuring and killing without regard or empathy. One bone of contention that arose from the photo was its presentation of nudity, and whether or not it was wise to publish such explicit content to the American public. It is noteworthy that many publication entities diverted from their traditional policies regarding nudity in order to share with their viewers the intense image that wholistically captured the Vietnamese war. Ut’s photograph was after that used as a shorthand for the Terrors of the Vietnam War. It is evident that photography can capture a thousand sentiments in a single snapshot. A single moment is frozen in time, reflecting the actuality of society and human interaction at that time.
Nick Ut’s photograph of the horrors of terror also made aware to the public that their government is not always on the right in the diplomatic feuds with other nations. Local media will often mask the actual undertakings of the government, particularly with regard to military expeditions outside of the U.S. However, after the photograph had been published by every major publication entity, including the New York Times, there had to be some level of accountability for the atrocious actions. People were now unceasingly aware of their government, particularly the distortion to governance that political propaganda rings about. to a further extent, Ut’s photograph ushered in the democratization of the nation. The photograph of the Vietnam war altered society in that the American population was now interested in the intricacies of their government, particularly concerning the government’s foreign policies.
Photography’s Influence on Awareness Regarding Abject Poverty
War is not the only vice with which our society is afflicted. Poverty has for a long time, threatened to obliterate the American Dream. In all American states, at least 20% of the total population live in famine and abject poverty (Geography of Poverty, 2017). While this subject may not be approached as much in mainstream media, it is a serious one which affects millions of people across the country each year. The inability to satisfy even the most basic of human needs is an affront to the notions held as truths by our founding fathers, and as such, all efforts to alleviate the same from society need to be taken. The first step in this, however, is the spread of awareness among the general population concerning the harsh conditions that their less fortunate brothers and sisters endure each day. Furthermore, the goal is not is to present the issue at hand in such a manner that elicits empathy in the viewers or recipients of the information. Photography has revolutionized how we capture and present our world, enabling humankind to present the shortcomings of society in an instant.
Photographers such as Matt Black have taken up the mantle of photography centered on creating awareness on the pervasive levels of poverty in specific regions within America. His collection, entitled Geography of Poverty, presents some of the most destitute areas in America in vivid contrast and sharp detail.
Fig 2. Allensworth, CA. 54% live below the poverty level. Photo by Matt Black.
The photographs are visually stunning and at times breathtaking. However, their message, engraved below each one of them, is clear. Underneath each photo, Matt Black presents the poverty statistics for the region captured by the image. By spreading the word of these alarming poverty rates, Matt Black hopes to make a difference in the improvement and enhancement of the nation. Photography allows people living above the poverty line, a glimpse into the dreary world of bankruptcy and scarcity. Racial discrimination has done a lot in the way of hindering minority groups from accessing the same amenities and opportunities as are afforded to the majority group. This has resulted in the isolation of poverty as an issue only affecting a few while in a real sense it acts as a hindrance to the overall economic and social growth. Ignoring the plea of the despondent is a just and noble cause, one which powerful photography such as Matt Black’s collection Geography of Poverty, elicits from any observer when they see it.
Matt Black’s collection of photographs has sparked considerable debate regarding what the state governmental entities are doing to combat the propagation of abject poverty in America. By highlighting areas which have higher than 50% of their population living below the poverty line, the photographs exposed the regions in which governmental control or oversight was even nonexistent. As a result, such areas were destitute and abandoned save for the natives who hold the ground to be their own. While such levels of poverty are not as pervasive in large cities, but in some states, entire towns and cities are mismanaged and embezzled from, resulting in a system of governance that is skewed away from the poor and toward the wealthy. Photography such as that of Matt Black seeks to empower the public with knowledge concerning such affronts, and thereby institutionalize change on a county and state-wide level.
Photography vis-à-vis the American Culture and Workforce
Photography in America has seen some tremendous shots over the years. While all these were focused on different themes and motifs within society, the effectiveness of photography as a tool of expression within modern society was increasing. One particular theme of interest is how photography added to the formulation of what is now known as the contemporary American culture. With the rise to prominence of such exceptional photographers as Elliott Erwitt, Robert Frank among others, more and more photographers were venturing into the showcasing of the American culture, albeit from different perspectives. Photographers such as Dorothea Lange, have had their impact on the cultural scene in America. Her photograph of a migrant mother and her two children offered stunning visuals into the resilience of the human soul even in the face of adverse conditions.
Fig 3. Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California. Photography by Dorothea Lange.
During her account of the interaction between herself and the migrant mother, she remembers the despondency with which the mother was engulfed in. Having been a laborer on a farm in the state, she was consequently let go and forced to seek out new employment elsewhere following the destruction of crops by freezing weather conditions on the farms they had driven up to California to work on. As a result, she had no source of income and had two children to feed. They were desperate and survived only on frozen vegetable obtained from the crop fields surrounding them as well as meat from birds that the children were able to hunt down. Lange affirms her shock at the sight of the forgotten family, and takes photographs of them in order to expose the horrors that were resultant from living below the poverty line, and by extension, the adversities that affect manual laborers in the U.S. Without unions to look after their rights as a whole, manual laborers would often face tough economic situations through which they had to improvise in order to survive.
The iconic photograph has revealed some insightful aspects of American life as seen from Florence’s perspective. First and foremost, though Florence did live a life riddled with hurdles, her resilience, and determination to keep her family alive and well speaks to the critical role that women play in the Society, and by extension, the need to support and celebrate them. After her father abandoned her mother, they had to live in a small Indian territory in which they would tow the land for sustenance. She got married at 17 to a 23-year-old and to which they conceived six children. Consequently, the husband died as a result of tuberculosis leaving her to fend for her children alone. To do this, Florence embarked on all sorts of odd jobs to make ends meet. She would work on the farms picking cotton; she would then work on restaurants among other jobs that would pay enough to feed her family.
Just as Lange was drawn to the migrant mother, so was the national and international community when Lange published the photographs in 1936 ("The Very Best Of American Photography – In Pictures" 2017). In that instant, Florence seemed to ponder her situation, no doubt how to feed her hungry children top on her mind. The children clung to her, and she offered them support, by doing any work available to her and also by offering solace to their young minds which were yet to comprehend the harsh conditions under which manual laborers worked. American culture, after the publication of Lange’s photographs, was changed forever. Needless to say that Lange’s Migrant Mother, is a testament to the love shared between a mother and her children, and the steps that any mother would take toward the improvement of the quality of life of their children. The migrant mother had even opted to sell their car’s tires to buy food for her children. Photography, through the lens of Lange’s camera, exhibited that mothers everywhere are crucial to human society, as they are committed to the safeguarding of their children. Themes of motherhood, love and the oppression of the blue-collar segment of the society exude from Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother.
Conclusion
Photography has earned its place within the sphere of the arts. It has enabled us to capture the world in an instant, and moreover, save that image for posterity. A picture indeed is worth a thousand words as was evidenced by celebrated American photographers of different times. Through their efforts, the world was illuminated, and the various evils that exist in our world revealed to the public. Photographs have had a considerable influence on social, economic and political changes throughout history. For instance, Nick Ut’s The Terrors of War is a photograph he took in 1972 that showcased children running away from their village which had been attacked using napalm (Mileaf, 2013). Their horrified faces and the comprehensive publication of the photograph resulted in a public outcry that ended the war. Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother is a photograph that captures the struggle of the blue collar workforce in America, as well as the resilience of a mother even in the face of adversity. Poverty in America has long been an isolated issue. However, Matt Black seeks to give those living in abject poverty a voice through the use of photography. His collection, Geography of Poverty, highlights some of the American regions most afflicted with poverty.
Bibliography
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http://www.mattblack.com/the-geography-of-poverty/
Mileaf, Janine. "Captured Things: Man Ray’s Object Photography." In On Writing with Photography, edited by Beckman Karen and Weissberg Liliane, 69-93. University of Minnesota Press, 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctt2jcd13.8.
"The Terror of War: The 100 Most Influential Photos of All Time". 2017. 100 Photographs | The Most Influential Images of All Time.
http://100photos.time.com/photos/nick-ut-terror-war.
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