Photo ponderings in today's NYT

A couple of photo related articles in todays New York Times. “Faked Photographs: Look, and Then Look Again” reiterates a point made again and again, that manipulation of photography started not with Photoshop, but shortly after Daguerre. The accompanying photo, Robert Capa's “Falling Soldier,” is not the most effective illustration of the argument as it serves as an example of misstatement, not manipulation. Look through the slideshow for some great historical examples.

And on the editorial page, a generous unpacking of a phenomenon we've all pondered, the cross-cultural impulse to mark a momentous touristic moment with a photographic portrait, and the frequent need to rope in a stranger to be the documentarian. That it is high tourist season in New York must be the reason for this sentiment: “It feels, some days, as though the whole purpose of our species is to create a perfect simulacrum of the life we lead even as we’re leading it.”

Comments

[Tommy Williams]

Mark Hobson at The Landscapist has a few well-written and well-reasoned posts about photo manipulation that you might enjoy reading:

http://landscapist.squarespace.com/journal/2009/8/18/man-nature-209-sizzling-hot.html

and

http://landscapist.squarespace.com/journal/2009/8/19/ku-621-a-correction.html

and

http://landscapist.squarespace.com/journal/2009/8/20/man-nature-211-back-to-pictures.html