IN BETWEEN LIAR VERASITY AND THE UNBELIEVABLE PHTOGRAPHIC REALITY?

Abstract

This text wishes to convey the diverse points of view regarding an old discussion that revolves around the “veracity” and the “verisimilitude” of photography – be it analogical or digital. To do this, there is an analysis on what is perceived as “real or true” in the photodocumentalism or photopress areas. Far from establishing a discussion on known theoreticians and historians of photography such as Benjamin, Barthes, Flusser or Sontag, I have preferred to deepen the state of affairs with regards to the philosophical tradition, delving through medieval times onto the century of enlightenment, until imbibing the stories of some contemporary writers and photographers. As it is well known, visual documents evoke clear or veiled ideological signs that recount technical choices, either formal or thematic, that represent the photographer. This is the topic that will be disentangled from an ethical view and plastered on the pages for journalistic publications, but also in order to comprehend the attentive spectator’s editorial perspective.