Blog Post June 19, 2021
Photography is a powerful tool in every society. Photography in its simplest form is a documentary medium, though the mechanical nature of the medium is impartial and the document, it creates is based on objective truth. However, objective truth is based on the popular beliefs of a society and culture, it does not necessarily define the ultimate truth. Just as our society own dilemma with visually saturated photographic world, Soviet Union in 1900 was constructing their own version of reality through photography. In Soviet Union when more than half of its population were illiterate, the newly formed political entity had to seek a new form educating the mass. In order to glorify the Soviet accomplishment, the new leadership had to propagate their radical ideas through the use of photography. Thankfully, the improvements in cameras and photographic techniques had made available a new type of compact camera. This technological innovation of camera unlike its predecessor which was bulky and which required long exposure and tripod was replaced by new 35 mm cameras. This new device allowed the photographer to envision the society in a new way. In order to spread the Soviet ideology, Avant Garde artist were provided with the new opportunity, often directed by the socialist regime to disseminate their political propaganda and to enlightened the society.
Photography in its essence is a tool of representing truthful validation of visual facts. Since Nicephore Niepce made the first photograph in 1836 titled “ view from the window at Le Gras’ which took 8 hours of sunlight to capture the image, we now have arrived in the era where digital technology has transform the visual landscape. In our 180 years of relationship with photography, from daguerreotype to celluloid film to megapixel sensor, the arrival of digital photography with its limitless possibilities is changing the way we perceive the world.
The advent of digital technology and social media gave birth to new ways of documenting and distributing the news to the society. What changed in the 21st century with digital photography is not only its ability to record an event instantaneously, but how the social events were informed and distributed to the masses. Apart from the recipient of the digital information, we are also the composer of the information which has lead to the rise of reporting know as citizen journalism.
Photojournalism in its essence is about providing accurate information to the public, with this notion in mind citizen of the 21st century has seized the opportunity to use the tools of digital technology and the global distribution channel to address the gap within our society.
