Regarding the Pain of Others

Is it wrong to take photographs after they die?

~What are the pros and cons of taking pictures during war or a tragic event?

Should there be a law that only allows a certain number of photographers during wartime?

The technology of the camera has made such an impact on peoples life. In Susan Sontags article “Regarding the Pain of Others,” she talks about the history of media and photography. She dates back all the way to when all you could see in a photograph was a grainy figure and now a day we are able to see pictures completely clear from all the fancy inventions. Growing up with the camera has shown me there can be pros and cons, especially when pictures are related to war or tragic events.

Growing up with the technology of the camera has helped me understand wars and tragic events from seeing the visual image; for example, when hurricane Katrina hit the Atlantic in 2005. I was only 8 years old when this deadly hurricane destroyed towns and killed millions. I knew what a hurricane was, but I did not understand the concept of it and what it looked like after it affected where it hit. I remember seeing pictures in class and it helped me get the visual impact of the entire disaster, which made me have a stronger hurt for the people affected.

I believe pictures provide more pros then cons, because they allow us to see the reality of the war or tragedy. When the media displays pictures, people all around the nation are able to understand what it going on. I think pictures are a good way to connect with other people and the event. However, pictures during war or a tragic event also provide cons. Pictures definitely need to be approved and filtered through before posting them anywhere, because no one wants to see the gory or fearful pictures. For instance, in Sontag’s article she tells about a man Mr. Brady who laid the dead bodies in a dooryard and along the streets in trenches and took pictures. I do not think anyone should ever do something like that and show the picture, because that is a terrible sight to see and is disrespectful towards families of the dead body. Seeing shocking images can scare people from certain places etc.