Photography: The constant reminder and the biggest truth in untruth

Sonntag states, "Even when photographers are most concerned with mirroring reality, they are still haunted by tacit imperatives of taste and conscience." Basically, no matter how realistic the picture looks, behind the camera there are hidden and unspoken wants to portray the picture in a certain way. Sonntag explains further, "There is an aggression implicit in every use of the camera." Once again, it is clear that Sonntag believes that in every picture there is a purposely made message that was created by the photographer. The camera captures the world, but it is the interperation of the world that is constructed by the photography that maintains the undertones of conscience. She explains, "The immensely gifted members of the Farm Security Administration photographic project of the late 1930's would take dozens of frontal pictures of one of their sharecropper subjects until satisfied that they had gotten just the right look on film-the precise expression of the subject's face that supported their own notions about poverty, light, dignity, texture,exploitation, and geometry." Numerous pictures were taken of the sharecroppers, however, it was the picture that communicated what the photographer wanted that was chosen to depict the subject. I agree with Sonntag, because I know that no matter what the picture, the photographer chooses the frame, detail, vantage point. Also, I know that the photographer uses these techniques to alter a picture and that can make the photographer's purpose shine through.


Sonntag says, "All photographs are memento mori". Sonntag might mean that photographs are reminders that everything dies. Sonntag explains, "Most subjects photographed are, just by virtue of being photographed, touched with pathos." Pathos means relating to emotions. She is explaining that subjects are embedded with emotions that later evoke the emotions of the viewer. By capturing this, immortality is created for that split second, but it will be a constant reminder that time passes. Sonntag express this idea by stating, "To take a photograph is to participate in anther's person's mortality, vulnerability,mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time's relentless melt."