The Power of Photography in the Media

             In Sonia Sontag's Chapter The Heroism of Vision in her novel On Photography, numerous theories, as well as a generalizations, are mentioned on the broad subject of photography. In one instance, Sontag dedicated an entire paragraph to the idea of the looking at oneself through rose-colored glasses- that is the want to see oneself in a glorified light. For example, Sontag writes, “People want the idealized image: a photograph of themselves looking their best”(Sontag, 85). Sontag’s theory really resonated with me as it is typically true for all people when it comes to having their photo taken, which lead to me think about a photo recently discussed in my Media Studies class. The photo presented Jared Lee Loughner, the major suspect of a mass shooting that occurred at a political meeting in the supermarket parking lot near Tuscan, Arizona. Different from the norm of expressionless mug shots, the image ran in both national and local news sources depicted Loughner with uncanny grin and sparkling, bright eyes as seen below.

Applying Sontag’s afore-mentioned theory, it would only seem natural for Loughner to intentionally smile when having his picture taken, especially if that is the way in which he believes he will look his best. However, his eerie image also works in conjunction with the perspective of the media, which in most cases has presented Loughner with characteristics linked to insanity.

            Additionally, another theory introduced in Sontag’s chapter includes the question of the role in which a photograph plays in portraying reality. On page 87, Sontag argues, “Instead of just recording reality, photographs have become the norm for the way things appear to us, thereby changing the very idea of reality, and of realism.” In terms of the media, I definitely think that many of us readers fall into the very trap mentioned above. Once we view a certain photograph presented to us in a news source, we tend take what we see as the truth and the reality of the moment captured in that image, which is not always accurate. For example, in the image taken of an American flag placed atop the tumbling statue of Saddam Hussein in Iraq in 2003, the reader will most likely view the metaphorical action as an end to the war in Iraq for Americans. However, the reality is that the war was far from over at this point in 2003, but it was the power of the image that led us to see and believe a false reality. Ah, the power of photography…

photo source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/jared-loughner-alleged-tucson-shooting-gunman-appears-court/story?id=12580344