Both of these images were taken in a pre-digital ere this means they are authentic and legitimate and there is no chance of manipulation unlike in the post- digital ere we live in today. “The invention of digital photography forever shattered the medium’s hold on truth,” (Sarah Greenough 2016) This point can be strongly agreed with as images can be manipulated so easily today and people question a lot of documentary photography and photojournalism as manipulation can be used to sway public and individual opinions. Documentary photography was originally made to make an impact on the public it was a way to show awareness of subjects such as war, poverty and famine it was a way to educate the world it focused on making raw and real image instead of creating a image that is pleasing to the eye it focuses more on speaking words however it has no expanded to documenting everyday life and doesn't necessarily have to be to create an impact.
The focus within these two images were war one is showing emotions of fear the other one is showing emotions of happiness as this was taken at the end of the war which show complete opposite. War photography is a very strong way to get emotions across it was also a really good way to educate people as photographers were thrown into real life situation to create images of impact to share with the world and create psychical pieces of evidence of history. "Granted, documentary photography does not always depict loss and despair. Realism, context, and timing are key roles that documentary photographers must always consider." (learnmyshot) i feel this can be strongly agreed with i feel realism is the strongest factor in documentary photography as it is used as facts and evidence if its not real then it's not documentary photography, timing is also important as for some documentary photography you need to be in the right place at the right time, this point shows that you don't need to show loss or despair to create strong images that cause impact which is the approach Don Mccullin took.
In contrast with each other both these images show two completely different emotions that are seen as opposites,However they are both shown in a extreme form and the emotions in each image is clear. One is shown within the face and eyes as it is a portrait this focuses on shock and fear. Don Mccullin has chose to focus on one subject and his work is a lot more intimate and he appears to connect with the subject more, He shoots from a very personal angle. Where as Alfred Eisenstaedt has chosen a intimate moment but has chose to shoot it from a point of view,his moment is shared with other people around him but there is still that element of intimacy, yet his is psychical in the contrast to Don McCullin who portrays it within the way the image is shot., Don McCullin used his work to educate people as he wanted the world to know just how awful the war was, yet the other is showing a moment for memory.Both images had a massive impact on the world.By both the images being film this means they are legitimate images and that they have no way been tampered with and i feel this makes them even more unique. As the two image are the subject of war i feel these are two completely different. Both the photographers have made history as now they have a psychical piece of the memory. I think one of the best things about documentary photography is that it is a reliable source for evidence and it allows us to document our lives and things we see everyday. The images also have lots of similarities as they're both set around the subject. The tonal range within both images is similar as the white is very bright and there is a lot of grey within the image. Both images are sharply in focus, They both show intimacy and share emotions within the image.
In conclusion both images are iconic and they are both extremely strong images and both have a massive impact just like the war did on the world. War was a massive subject that people needed to be educated on so these images are extremely important as they were both published in newspapers for the world to see. Both take a different approach yet are equally effective. Documentary photo allows us to record history however it is a lot harder since photography became digital as it is so easy to manipulate images these days. I do feel the Don Mccullins work was more successful out of the two images as it educated people his work was shocking but in a way that didn't show violence in any way, all his work has a theme which is he seems to focus on getting a glint within the eyes i feel this brings the view in and makes them feel the emotion he focuses more on emotion than anything else and that's what i really like about his work,His work feels a lot more personal, they are also extremely strong images. However Alfred Eisenstaedt work was still really successful just in its own way as it focused on sharing memories together and it looks at happiness and sharing happiness it doesn't make as much as of a impact however it is in a completely different context.
bibliography
“The invention of digital photography forever shattered the medium’s hold on truth,”
(https://collectordaily.com/rethinking-photographic-truth-in-the-digital-age/)
"Granted, documentary photography does not always depict loss and despair. Realism, context, and timing are key roles that documentary photographers must always consider."
http://learnmyshot.com/why-documentary-photography-is-important/
"photography had been “hijacked” because “the digital cameras are extraordinary. I have a dark room and I still process film but digital photography can be a totally lying kind of experience, you can move anything you want … the whole thing can’t be trusted really.”
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/nov/27/don-mccullin-war-photographer-digital-images
"We never spoke a word,” he said. “Afterward, I just went on the subway across the street and went to Brooklyn."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/glenn-mcduffie-wartime-sailor-who-claimed-to-be-the-man-in-alfred-eisenstaedt-s-famous-times-square-9199854.html
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