The first question should always be:
Who is using this photograph and what for?

But how is it possible to make a criticism of the images without traditional references? How must photographers (professionals or amateurs) approach their object to make meaningful images if they don’t have the backing of “authorities”? There is no simple answer to this. One possibleroad is that suggested in “Beautiful Suffering” by Mark Reinhard, which is to take care of the esthetics of the image.

It is precisely the esthetical options made by the photographer that define and give meaning to the image, whether he uses a Hasselblad (they are still existing and in use) or a cell phone. Esthetical choices are always present, they are inevitable, and no one can escape them.They belong to the essence of the photographical image (David Campbell). The technical devices - framing, saturation,ligtning, focusing, focal length, grain etc, which are simply the way in which the author of the image sees and represents the world - lead to the sensory perception. Esthetics is a cursed word in today’s world of art: for instance, Salgado has been reviled for “beautifying” misery, and in addition substituting political compromise for the consumption of art. His isn’t the only case, in all Sunday newspaper supplements around the world there are very well constructed photos of war scenes. Misery and suffering have become objects of consumption thanks to the esthetical rigor of the authors of the images.

All this is true, however we must not forget that the construction of meanings is a social process the photographer makes a contribution to, but he doesn’t have the whole process in his hands, he is part of the process. When he makes decisions, like using greys instead of colors or saturating colors or not, he draws attention to certain aspects of the image and thus causes a discussion or, at least, a concientization. His role, in sum, is that of instigator. A task that is today facilitated by having powerful media of diffusion to his disposal.

Guillermo Labarca