Upon researching John Berger's essays in 'About looking' in which he discusses photography and its understanding as well as the role of the general observer in various situations in life, I focused my attention on the Chapter 'Photographs of Agony' in particular.
Berger explained here, the use of agony as a tool to reach audiences effectively as shock imagery brings "... us up short […] As we look at them, the moment of others suffering engulfs us. […] Indignation demands action. We try to emerge from the moment of the photograph back into our lives. As we do so, […] our lives appear to be a hopelessly inadequate response to what we have just seen." (p.42)
Taking this explanation it is not surprising that previously shock imagery often showed war footage as it was used as a way to communicate front line actions to society.
Showing the horrors most people never come close to in their daily lives, brutal images will catch attention, take the viewer out of their comfort zone and often times not give a necessary action plan to help audiences come to turns with what they have seen. Allowing society to make their own conclusions will in the long term strengthen the viewers personal problem solving skills, however as a short term reaction an audience will feel overwhelmed and inadequate as they are helpless to think of ways their life can have an impact on what they have seen.
This described inadequacy was first discussed as a key idea in E. Burke's work 'A philosophical enquiry into the origins of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful' which also provides a number of similarities to Berger's theory on shock imagery.
Burke used the term 'insignificant' to describe the human reaction to the sublime. While the sublime generally describes something impressive, inspiring and overwhelming, Burke described it further as something that will move an audience deeply, a reminder of pain, inspiring fear without actually being in any immediate danger.
According to Burke the dynamic sublime would in turn describe the ability of reason to overcome the feeling of fear as what is seen can be dangerous but poses no current danger to the individual. This described dynamic sublime is Burke's description of war photography pushing its audience to see danger for society without being in any actual danger.
Now, comparing war photography of the 20th century and environmental imagery from the 21st century, I'd like to apply Burkes and Bergers theories to contemporary photographic images.
Looking at the definition of the sublime, it can be stated that documentary images of glacier decrease can be seen as the 'shock' imagery of this century.
At a time, when bloody war photographs no longer hold attention, as they no longer provoke fear in an audience, perhaps the environmental images by Salgado and Burtynsky present a new threat society only now really learns to care about ?
A threat bigger than any war, more devastating than terrorist attacks and provoking fear an uncertain future.
While I researched the use of beauty and shock imagery before, it seemed enough to present a subject that shocks to raise attention, however while previously audiences were left feeling inadequate and useless, recent environmental series' have a different purpose - inspire change.
'The picture becomes evidence of the general human condition. It accuses nobody and everybody.' (p.44)
It is now to be discussed whether long term self confident viewers will bring bigger change or directed short term audiences that bring perhaps smaller but faster changes, is the better strategy to make a lasting impact.
Bibliography:
All Images taken by the author.
(1)Berger, J. (1980) About looking, London: Bloomsbury 2009
Burke, E. (1803) A philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful. Montrose
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