ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the differences, including the way in which a photostory functions and what happens when a single image, particularly one that was not initially made to stand alone, becomes 'iconic'. It also explores the dichotomy between words and images in this context, and looks at the new platforms and technologies that allow for different narrative forms, including 'multimedia' or 'photofilms', whose key characteristics may not be as new as they seem. When coverage of a situation is extended from a single image into a series of views, W. Eugene Smith arguably becomes more difficult for the viewer to remain neutral, just as it becomes more difficult to adhere to stereotypical ways of seeing as the readers get to know different aspects of a person. The technological changes that transformed the media landscape in the first years of the twenty-first century have had a particular impact on the photostory format.
