Digital Images

1. In Mitchell’s The Reconfigured Eye, he includes a quote by Aaron Scharf, “The meaning of the term ‘truth to nature’ lost its force: what was true could not always be seen, and what was see was not always true,” and comments, “Once again the photograph demonstrated that for many artists truth had really been another word for convention.” What is one example of an alternative “truth” that could be portrayed in digital photography, but does not fit with convention?

Recently, a photo released by the US Army of the highest-ranking female military officer (who was recently promoted to four-star general) sparked a dispute between the Associated Press and the Pentagon. The problem was that the picture released showed the general in front of an American flag, though in reality the original background was a bland bookcase. Adding and subtracting content from images is strictly against AP policy, and after unknowingly printing a doctored photo, the AP issued a “Photo Elimination” notice that contained the image with a huge “No” symbol over it. This example brings up numerous problems mentioned in the quotes above. When defining “truth to nature,” the convention is to define it in terms of physical and temporal reality, and the AP clearly abides by this convention. Since the general was not physically present in front of the flag, the image is therefore a lie. However, what if “truth to nature” was instead defined in a more metaphorical way to describe possibly, the “nature” of the situation, or her “personal nature.” With this definition the new photo with the American flag would be considered more truthful because it more accurately describes the situation’s significance to our country and shows her patriotism. The notion of “truth” has been contested throughout human history, and though it is unlikely to ever be resolved, digital images at least challenge the conventional ideas of truth and nature that our society has grown accustomed to.

2. Mitchell argues, “We might best regard digital images… as fragments of information that circulate in the high-speed networks now ringing the globe that can be received.” In what ways does using the term “information” accurately reflect the nature of these images and in what ways does this term seem to limit the meaning potential of digital images?