Photography is BS…

Godard once said, “Photography is truth.” But, not really. Especially not in these days with AI, Lightroom and and Photoshop. Photography is selective. Photography is what the photographer wants you to see. Photography has objective, documentary value only so much as the photographer is willing to show the truth. Not to mention the fact that a photograph is compressing four dimensions (including time) down into only two 🤯. Uh...what?

It is also important to consider that photography is not a monolith; it has its own set rules pending on the genre. What is deemed acceptable in fashion is totally forbidden in documentary, and reportage....well, do we even need to talk about the varied perspectives in reporting?

For instance, this image is by Tess Hurrel, created and photographed in a studio. But at first glance, these appear to be images once seen in history books, films and the media talking about nuclear tests or space shuttle accidents. In actuality, these are a part of her series entitled, trompe l’oeil, actually showing sculptures made of cotton, talcum powder, and strings. If you look closely, you can even see a string holding the sculpture. A sleight of the lens.

So perhaps a better phrasing to the initial statement would be, "Photography has the power to reveal truth, well, relative truth, anyway."

Photo Cred: Tess Hurrell, Chaology no.1, 2006, Gelatin silver print, Victoria and Albert Museum