Here’s an interesting viewpoint on war photography in modern society. I agree for the most part. He mentions photos of atrocities and scandals, but I think he needs to expand the idea. It goes both ways, we need to see the good as well as the bad. We need to see the heroism, and the sacrifice. We need to see the humanity. We need to see what we’re fight for, and against.

Dennis Dunleavy: Is war photography and other visual violence necessary?

Last week, Annie asked a provocative question that I continue to struggle with. The thesis of her reports postulates: “Is war photography and other visual violence necessary?”

Intuitively, I want to respond with an absolute yes. We need images to shock us into the present and to remind us of all past injustices and sufferings in the world.

Images of war are critical in building shaping public consciousness.

Do we need visual proof to validate such claims? Yes, not only do we need pictures, but we need them to be from a reliable source.

Update: I found a site which is showing pictures of Iraq from an Iraqi point of view. Here’s a site benefiting Iraq by showing the good and the bad. Showing the real people of Iraq to the world. I’d classify this also as necessary war photography. It’s showing a country at war, from the inside.