The camera never lies
I recently read an article about a university study which found that faked photos tend to alter peoples' memories and perceptions of public events (check it out here). Basically, it was said that the old adage "the camera never lies" doesn't hold true anymore.
As someone who makes their living taking photographs, I've always thought that was a stupid saying anyway. Of course the camera doesn't lie. It captures exactly what it's pointed at. What the adage was meant to imply is that pictures don't lie. And, of course, we all know that is hogwash. Our world is full of images that look completely real, yet are completely false. Think of the last movie you watched.
What most people probably don't realize, however, is that untruthful photos are not just a new thing - the result of computers and software. They are as old as photography itself. A little research on famous photos will show you this has always been the case. (See my "Power of images" essay).
A photo doesn't have to be altered "post-process" to be a lie. A photo can just as well be a lie when the photographer arranges the subject to make a certain point. A photo can be a lie when the story that accompanies it only tells a biased view OR is a complete fabrication. We can't blame this stuff on the camera. The "liar" is the photographer.
Consider the portrait studio photographer. When he takes photos of people, he tries his best to make them look a lot better than the people they usually see in the mirror. He's more likely to get paid if the image ends up reinforcing the imagined self-image of the client. If he's successful, it's probably a lie. It's almost certainly not the truth. (See "The mythology of photography").
In my line of work I'm called upon to create images that convey nice feelings to the viewer. I avoid the controversial. I emphasize the postive aspects of a subject. Some call it PR. Some might call it propaganda. Some don't really see a difference between the two. Whatever you call it, it seldom reflects reality.
-Steven Broome
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