Abstract

Photography, as a visual medium, constantly oscillates between recording reality and creating truth. This paper examines philosophical perspectives, particularly those of Roland Barthes and Susan Sontag, and analyzes the concept of “presence” in phenomenology, exploring the photographer’s role in shaping reality. Practical examples from news and artistic photography demonstrate how choices of angle, lighting, and timing influence viewers’ perception. The study concludes that photographs simultaneously record and create truth, with our understanding of reality depending on the interaction between the photographer and the subject.

Introduction

Photography, as one of the most powerful visual media, continually balances between recording reality and creating truth. It possesses a unique ability to convey moments and emotions, shaping the viewer’s perception of reality. With the advancement of photographic technology and the rise of social media, the influence of images on audience perception and the shifting notion of truth has increased dramatically.

The central philosophical question is: Do photographs merely capture moments of reality, or do they create new truths? This question has become especially relevant in the digital age, where a single image can present multiple interpretations of reality.

Photography, beyond merely capturing a moment, is a cultural, emotional, and subjective experience. The viewer interacts with the image through their cultural background and personal perspective, transforming the recorded reality into a new experience. Additionally, the presence of the subject in the photograph and the direct experience of the viewer forms the foundation for deeper philosophical analysis.

Historical Philosophical Perspectives on Photography

Roland Barthes: Studium and Punctum

In Camera Lucida (1980), Roland Barthes presents photography not only as a tool for recording but as a subjective experience. He distinguishes between two elements in a photograph: Studium, representing the cultural and social interpretation of the viewer, and Punctum, the personal and emotional detail that pierces the viewer’s attention. This distinction demonstrates that photographs can both document reality and create a subjective experience.

Example: A news photograph of a natural disaster may convey a general cultural understanding (Studium), but a small detail (Punctum) — such as a child’s gaze or an animal’s movement — can trigger an emotional response from the viewer.

Susan Sontag: Critique of Reality in Photography

Susan Sontag argued that photographs always filter reality and convey the photographer’s perspective through the choice of moment, angle, and framing. Photos can reflect, reproduce, or even manipulate reality.

Example: Images of war or crises in the media can convey different emotions depending on the moment captured and the angle chosen, even if representing the same event.

Comparative Analysis

Comparing Barthes and Sontag reveals that both emphasize the photographer’s active role in shaping truth. Barthes’ Punctum emphasizes personal and emotional experience, while Sontag critiques the way photography can manipulate viewers’ perception. Together, these perspectives highlight the role of culture, subjectivity, and personal interpretation in understanding photographs.

The Concept of “Presence” in Phenomenology

Phenomenology and the Importance of Presence

Phenomenology, particularly in the works of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, emphasizes direct experience and active presence in the world. In photography, “presence” refers to the photograph’s ability to convey the subject’s existence to the viewer.

The more effectively a photograph communicates presence, the deeper and more personal the viewer’s experience becomes. Presence provides depth and human significance to the image and encourages reflective engagement.

Phenomenological Analysis of Photography

Phenomenological analysis shows that photographs can evoke profound experiences of presence, even if objective reality is not fully depicted. The photograph acts as both a record of a moment and a creator of emotional and cognitive experience.

Example 1: Artistic Portraits
A portrait with precise lighting, a specific angle, and careful composition can convey a subject’s personality, emotional state, and mental condition. The viewer senses the subject’s presence and interacts with the image, even if the actual moment was not literally captured.

Example 2: News Photography
In news photography, for instance depicting human crises or wars, the presence of individuals in the scene can be tangibly communicated. The photographer’s choice of timing and angle can evoke empathy and a profound understanding of the event.

Presence and Reality Creation

Philosophical analysis demonstrates that photographs simultaneously record reality and create new experiences. The presence of the subject and the viewer’s interpretation combine to generate a unique and philosophical encounter. Thus, the photographer is not merely a recorder but a creator of meaning and truth.

Concrete Examples in Photography

News Photography

News photography aims to capture real and significant moments but is inherently limited. The photographer’s choices regarding angle, framing, and timing can influence the viewer’s perception of reality.

Example 1: “Afghan Girl” by Steve McCurry
This iconic portrait of a young girl with striking green eyes in a refugee camp captures both reality and presence. McCurry’s choice of angle, soft lighting, and tight framing powerfully communicates the subject’s presence and evokes empathy and reflection.

Example 2: War and Crisis Images
Images of bombing, protests, or disasters, depending on distance, angle, and timing, can evoke varying emotional responses. The photographer’s focus on a specific moment or expression shapes both reality and narrative.

Artistic Photography

In artistic photography, the photographer uses lighting, composition, angle, and framing to create a unique experience. These images often prioritize subjective experience over objective documentation.

Example 1: Artistic Portraits
Portraits can convey emotional, psychological, and personality traits. Lighting, framing, and depth of field enhance the viewer’s perception of presence and invite reflection on reality and interpretation.

Example 2: Conceptual and Abstract Photography
In conceptual photography, the photographer can manipulate real elements to create a philosophical or mental experience. Combining light and shadow to evoke loneliness or freedom illustrates a subjective rather than purely objective reality.

Philosophical and Technical Analysis

These examples demonstrate that photography simultaneously records and constructs reality. Viewers perceive both the factual moment and the subjective experience. Technical choices — angle, lighting, composition, and framing — reveal the photographer’s role in shaping presence and truth.

Critical Discussion

The Photographer’s Role in Creating Truth

Through choices of moment, angle, framing, lighting, and composition, photographers guide the viewer’s perception. They reinterpret and reconstruct reality, rather than merely recording it.

Viewer Experience and Presence

The interaction between the subject’s presence and the viewer’s engagement produces a combination of reality and subjectivity. Phenomenology shows that observing a photograph is an active process that creates a unique experience.

Philosophical and Social Implications

A philosophical understanding of photography encourages critical thinking and media literacy. Recognizing that photographs both record and create truth allows viewers to engage with images thoughtfully and analyze their cultural and media influences.

Conclusion

Philosophical and phenomenological analysis shows that photographs both record and actively create truth. Understanding an image always combines objective reality with subjective interpretation, highlighting the photographer’s active role.

Examples from news and artistic photography illustrate how technical choices in lighting, composition, and framing convey presence and meaning, producing a profound philosophical experience. Photography, therefore, transcends simple documentation and functions as an active process of truth creation. Viewers must approach images critically to fully grasp presence and reality.

References (APA)

• Barthes, R. (1980). Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. Hill and Wang.
• Sontag, S. (1977). On Photography. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Fisher, A. (2008). Beyond Barthes: Rethinking the phenomenology of photography. Radical Philosophy, 148, 19–27.
• Crowther, P. (2009). The phenomenology of photography. In Phenomenology of the Visual Arts (even the frame) (pp. 139–152). Stanford University Press.
• Purcell, L. S. (2010). Phenomenology of a photograph, or: How to use an eidetic phenomenology. Phil Archive.

Written by: Nader Sharifi . 08/23/2025