Photography and Its Violations

Theorists critique photography for "objectifying" its subjects and manipulating appearance for the sake of art. In this bold counterargument, John Roberts recasts photography's violating powers and aesthetic technique as part of a complex "social ontology" that exposes the hierarchies, divisions, and exclusions behind appearances. Photography must "arrive unannounced" and "get in the way of the world," Roberts argues, committing to the truth-claims of the spectator over the self-interests and sensitivities of the subject. Yet even though the violating capacity of the photograph results from external power relations, the photographer is still faced with an ethical choice: whether to advance photography's truth-claims on the basis of these powers or to diminish or veil these powers to protect the integrity of the subject. Photography's acts of intrusion and destabilization constantly test the photographer at the point of production, in the darkroom, and at the computer, especially in our 24-hour digital image culture. Roberts's refunctioning of photography's place in the world is therefore critically game-changing, as it politically and theoretically restores the reputation of the art.