In her essay "In Plato's Cave," Susan Sontag comments on the power of photography. "A photograph that brings news of some unsuspected zone of misery cannot make a dent in public opinion unless there is an appropriate context of feeling and attitude." She adds "Photographs cannot create a moral positions, but they can rienforce one - and help build a nascent one." At first I wasn't sure what to make of these comments, thinking that photographs, like all other forms of journalism, could influence public opinion. Sontag provides some useful examples however, such as that of Japanese internment camps during WWII, which went unquestioned by the public. I then wondered, is it good or bad that public opinion cannot be swayed by photographs? I think it would depend on the situation. Outrageous tabloid photographs hopefully will never cause a stir, but legitimate photojournalism that shows atrocities in Darfur or the horrible living situation in Haiti should create some sort of response. Some say a picture is worth 1000 words, but according to Sontag this does not mean that they will have a significant impact on public opinion.
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