In his posthumously published book Camera Lucida, Roland Barthes argues that the advent of the Photograph divides the history of the world. He expresses unwavering faith in the photograph, stating that with its availability as evidence, the past becomes as certain as the present. However, when evaluating the reliability of photographs as historical sources, this belief must be challenged. To accomplish this, we need to examine how historians have utilized photographs and assess their contribution to our comprehension of the past.
The question of whether images could be manipulated in the past and if there were other methods to undermine the truthfulness of photographic evidence must be addressed. This text will explore famous instances of “frauds” and assess how technological advancements have affected our trust in visual information.
In this passage, we will briefly discuss instances where a specific photograph’s usage has been justified by later evidence. Additionally, we will explore areas of historical research that may appear less susceptible to deceit. At this point, the conclusion should be quite apparent. The utilization of photographs has significantly augmented the field of historical study since the mid-1800s. While early photographs may seem rigid and ceremonial, they effectively convey the essence of Victorian lifestyles in a manner that mere words cannot achieve.
In the past, it may have been challenging or even impossible to manipulate photographic prints by adding or removing elements. Even if alterations were possible, experts could easily detect them. Therefore, it could be argued that photographs from those early days were reliable historical sources. This reliability would hold true if the origins of the photograph can be confirmed and if there is no apparent motive for deception. Books like A Victorian Eyewitness provide evidence of the importance of preserving images that would otherwise be lost forever.
The tragedy of the destruction of the Crystal Palace (P. H. Delamotte 1854) would be even more heartbreaking without photographs. Frank Meadow Sutcliffe’s studies of the Whitby fisherfolk capture a way of life that no longer exists. Samuel Bourne’s photograph depicting the inflation of buffalo skins to cross a river in the Himalayas allows us to truly visualize such a remarkable feat. However, this same book presents early evidence of photography being used for deception. T.H. O’Sullivan’s photograph taken in 1863 during the American civil war initially portrayed dead ‘rebel’ soldiers, but it was later revealed to be Northerners instead.
The Nazis famously utilized photographs as a form of propaganda during World War II. Similarly, Barnado faced accusations of fabricating images with his “before” and “after” photographs that depicted the transformation of deprived children into productive individuals. By 1861, Spirit Photography had gained widespread recognition as a prevalent deceitful practice.
Photographers who claimed to be mediums were skilled in creating supernatural effects in their photographs. By superimposing ghostly images and utilizing double exposures, these tricksters were able to make deceased relatives appear in photos of their subjects. They even had the ability to create an entire apparition. The process involved the sitter posing for over a minute, during which the photographer’s assistant would briefly appear in the background, dressed appropriately to enhance the ghostly effect captured on the final plate.
Several techniques were employed, such as introducing dust to the negative, incorporating flash reflection, and overexposing the plate. The well-known narrative of the Cottingley Fairy photographs illustrates that by 1917, a 16-year-old girl could produce remarkably convincing “fake” photographs that successfully deceived Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and perplexed the Kodak “experts” of that era.
The Cottingley girls managed to keep up their deception until 1983, likely because the actual ‘trick’ did not lie within the photographs. The girls had created fairy-shaped cut-outs and fastened them to trees using hatpins. Interestingly, Conan Doyle was unaware that Elsie, the older girl, was skilled in artistry and had previous experience working for a photographer. With advancements in photo-technology, individuals with fraudulent intentions now have access to a growing range of methods.
The camera serves as a tool for both con-men wanting to take advantage of the public’s gullibility and propagandists whose cause lacks sufficient strength. This highlights how even minor deceptions contribute to the argument against the reliability of photographs as historical sources. – O.R.
Croy’s Camera Trickery, a book by Croy, provides a technique for capturing photographs of live frogs swimming in a pond without using snorkelling equipment. The method involves placing the frogs in a glass tank and pasting an appropriate scene on the back. In an article discussing the deceptive practices of wildlife photographers, Kenneth Brower mentions the creation of fake representations by seemingly trustworthy organizations. He shares Alan Roots’ story of a colleague’s attempt to capture a typical safari scene for the cover of Life magazine. The image originated from the editor’s imagination, who visualized a leopard and its kill in a thorn tree with branches framing a setting sun while comfortably seated at their desk in Manhattan.
The photographer embarked on a mission to capture this image, journeying across the East African Savanna for weeks accompanied by a captive leopard. During the expedition, the photographer would hunt antelopes, and once successful, would hang their carcasses on various thorn trees. Through persuasion, the leopard would then posture confidently on top of the prey, and the photographer would capture this scene against the backdrop of numerous setting suns. Brower adds that with today’s technology, photographers no longer need to undergo such arduous efforts; they can simply use Adobe Photoshop to locate and manipulate the required images. Considering all of this incriminating evidence, is there any aspect in which the photograph can be regarded as trustworthy? Some historical photographs exist that can be corroborated by individuals portrayed within them.
I recall a previous edition of the Radio Times that provided information on the later lives of children who were captured in photos celebrating on D. Day. Additionally, the iconic war photograph of the young Vietnamese girl, running away from a napalm bomb while naked, has been accompanied by a film called ‘Kim’s Story’. This film depicts her devastating injuries and subsequent life. However, when there is no living person or undeniable evidence to validate the accuracy of a photograph, it should be regarded with skepticism.
One possible area to have confidence in the reliability of an image is when it is sourced from a private individual’s collection. These photographs would likely have been taken for personal use, reducing the likelihood of deception. Consequently, these images are expected to reflect the lifestyle and location of the individual who owned the collection. Marc Bloch highlights that we gain more knowledge from unintentional evidence than from “official” sources. Likewise, personal collections of photographs, not intended as evidence for historians, can provide valuable insights. The significance of private collections is emphasized by George Oliver in his book, Photographs and Local History.
However, when considering his statement from 1989 that ‘with very few exceptions, photographs are generally reliable and truthful witnesses, with alterations to their images being difficult to achieve and relatively easy to detect,’ it appears somewhat na�ve to modern readers. Nevertheless, the pictures in his book showcase the importance of this medium in preserving memories of Britain’s towns and villages as they existed in the past and will never exist again. Taking all of the evidence into account, I must conclude that photographs are not particularly reliable as historical sources.
With advancing technology, it is becoming increasingly challenging to identify alterations made to images using digital tools. A website dedicated to photomanipulation provides a range of services including inserting individuals into group photos and placing an older person on a snowboard. They can also transform photographs to mimic various artistic styles such as watercolor, oil painting, antique painting, pencil sketch, or charcoal sketch. Additionally, it’s crucial to acknowledge that viewers of a photograph are unable to ascertain what has been excluded or how the scene might have appeared from another viewpoint.
The event captured in the image may have been staged or presented out of context, as the Nazis often did with the photographs they used. However, this does not imply that photographs are useless or should never be employed. Similar to oral history, although they may not provide concrete data, they convey a sense of the past that written records may lack. Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty regarding how reliable photographs are as historical sources. The term ‘reliable’ means ‘that can be trusted’, and as illustrated, there are limited instances where information from a photograph can be completely trusted. Historians can and should utilize photographs cautiously and recognize that seeing is not always believing.
