The Camera Never Lies? (First Entry For New Grading Period)

In an article on the website, "Culture Wars," author Nathalie Rothschild presents a summary of an Art Monthly panel discussion entitled, "The Camera Never Lies?" In November of last year, speakers Craig Burnett, Alison Green, Axel Lapp and Julian Stallabrass gathered at the Camden Arts Centre in London to discuss issues relating to photographic truth. The discussion topic is stated as the following:

The line between documentary and artistry is often fine, consider for instance the images in the annual worldwide photojournalism contest, World Press Photo. Yet the credibility of a photograph often seems to rely on the clarity of such a distinction. If a scene is constructed to appear real or spontaneous or to invoke a specific reaction from the viewer, the truth and honesty of the image will be disputed. And at the same time, capturing a scene, as it is, is impossible, as the photographer ultimately determines what the image will look like. When it comes to photography, agency, truth and representation are often discussed in moralistic terms, as dilemmas, and artistic freedom is not readily granted.

Essentially, this thesis statement is claiming that, although we may hold photography to be a medium of credibility, depicting reality truthfully, in reality the mere presence of the photographer denies this fact. Alison Green, a member of the panel, mentions the view of photographs as truth-telling mechanisms. For example, Roland Barthes, in 'Camera Lucida' took it as self-evident that photography is always analogical. Green also points out that photographs are often used as evidence in court cases.
Another member of the panel, Juilan Stallabrass, claims that "we are more inclined to think that a photograph is an accurate representation than a painting or a sculpture, the former of course having the advantage of immediacy and spontaneity so the 'artist's touch' can be more easily hidden." Here again, we see that the idea of photographic truth is an ingrained myth within our society. Although the camera gives the impression of objectivity, it is merely a tool that is better at hiding the touch of the artist.
Yet another member of the panel, Craig Burnett, brings up an interesting point, "urging the audience to remember that postmodernism taught us not to think in dichotomies and, hence the camera lies and tells the truth simultaneously." In a sense, Stallabrass also seems to bring a postmodernist perspective to the table, as he wonders, "why the art world insists on asking questions regarding the photographic lie when photographs have also been found to be ture and have been used to show truths, for instance to identify victims in the Vietnam war, to determine chronologies of events and in trials."