ABSTRACT
A photograph, whether it appears in an advertisement, a newspaper or in a family album is often regarded as an accurate and truthful record of real life. Sayings such as ‘seeing is believing’ and ‘the camera never lies’ reinforce these beliefs. In this study guide you will learn that the information we see in photographs is often carefully selected by the photographer or by the editor so that what we believe we’re seeing is usually what somebody else would like us to see. By changing or selecting the information we can change the message. The concepts of time, motion and form that exist in the real world are accurately translated by the photographic medium into timeless and motionless two-dimensional prints. Photographers, editors and the general public frequently use photography to manipulate or interpret reality in the following ways:
1. Advertisers set up completely imaginary situations to fabricate a dream world to which they would like us to aspire. 2. News editors choose some aspects of an event, excluding others, to put across a point of view. 3. Family members often choose to record only certain events for display in the family album, excluding others, so that we portray the image of the family as a happy and united one.
