WHY PHOTOGRAPHY?

Inspiration from Susan Sontag

In this project, we chose to use photography as our medium for portraying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have all heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words” and at this time, that statement couldn’t be more true. Photography is a powerful tool in capturing life during a pandemic, as the photographer who wields it is able to serve as a “spy in the house of death.” In our case, we tried to use photographs of our own hometowns and university, as well as from international landmarks, in order to showcase the widespread impact of COVID-19. 

The photos we present reflect a truth, or a reality. They represent a part of history that will very likely be taught in future classrooms and written in history books for generations to come. Sontag writes, “Photographs that everyone recognizes are now a constituent part of what a society chooses to think about, or declares that it has chosen to think about.” The photographs we present are likely to be the photographs that will be universally recognizable, as they depict part of our world’s collective story. The photographs taken during this pandemic will likely shape how we look back on this era. They will be a testimony to how our society combated this silent enemy.