The photograph versus the newsreel

[Enoyarnam]

I have the following question for those of you who want to show others how the world is organised and what makes it go round. In what sense, if at all, does the photograph in the form of a single or serial document lead to results that are more arresting and meaningful than those produced as a newsreel by someone with a movie camera?

I ask this question at a moment when many new digital cameras offer the promise that the gap between these mediums of expression can now be bridged.

 

[chikubi]

A photograph has the ability to focus on, emphasize, or strengthen the emotional impact of a subject being captured. Done well, the impact of a situation can be depicted in a way that no other medium can match, I believe.

A good example is the famous photo of a soldier being struck by a bullet in the head, taken at that very instant. If it were a video, the moment would have happened so quick you almost might miss it. The impact of seeing a human being killed is still there, but not as strong as the impact that the photo gives where his head exploding is frozen in time and forces you to think about and realize just what a horrific thing this man's death must have been to him; you can't look away or hide your eyes from the moment, you have no choice but to view and think about it. That is the power of a photograph.