suffering ( Sontag , 2004 , p . 69 ), is undoubtedly motivated by a humanitarian desire to photograph those forgotten in the midst of atrocities , and aims to use the photographs as agents of change in this unequal world .
In today ' s society , where people often observe the suffering of others through the medium of words or images , suffering from afar seems to have a “ voyeuristic allure ” ( Sontag , 2004 , p . 88 ). The iconic journalistic photographs often contain stereotypes of their photographed objects , representing destruction , conflict , and death in disaster through an established aesthetic standard ( Campbell , 2012 , p . 80 ). Photographs of catastrophe and atrocity appear more realistic , powerful and more unsettling than those that are pleasing to the eye , as aesthetic elements such as composition and light effects tend to take a relatively minor role in documentary photographs . However , in Salgado ' s iconic images of the famine , the black and white effect not only makes reality more abstract , but the strong contrasts and atmospheres also accentuate the strong visual aesthetics . It could be argued that the dual power of photography , which provides the ability of both photography as a record of history and as a creation of visual art , seems to elevate what should be purely brutal photographs of atrocities into an aesthetic . This means that many images of suffering at present can be ' beautiful ', yet it is this that leaves the viewer in a moral quandary . Admittedly , photography brings a distant event or disaster closer to the audience ' s eyes . Yet Sontag ( 2004 . p . 20 ) suggests that “ the shock of photographed atrocities wears off with repeated viewings ”, and the images could “ anesthetise ” the audience and corrupt their conscience and compassion . It is for this reason that photography of atrocities always involves an ethical crisis of representation ( Prosser , 2012 , p . 9 ). With photographs that are thoughtfully composed as well as superbly toned , the spectator needs not only to understand the historical context behind the atrocity , but also to reflect on whether the brutal complexity of the atrocity presented in the image is undermined by its visual beauty .
Sontag also describes Salgado ' s compositional style as " cinematic ” ( Sontag , 2003 , p . 70 ). Figure 1 is a fitting example of his cinematic aesthetic , in which Salgado captures almost impossibly beautiful scenes through his lens . Arguably , the photograph is spectacularly composed : the woman holding the two children is to the right of the centre line , forming a triangle with the children at the left edge of the composition . The flowing dark fabric worn by the woman on her head contrasts with the background and becomes the focus of the viewer ' s attention . In addition , the use of a wide-angle lens and the elevation angle of the shot emphasise the depth and layering of the image , and guide the viewer ' s eye . The triangular composition allows the viewer ' s eye to move first from the woman ' s body and then to the children at the left edge , while also suggesting the direction in which they are heading , to an endless wilderness . The photograph emerges with a sense of the vulnerability and helplessness of the afflicted , an effect facilitated by the depiction of the mother and child in the photograph , indicating to the viewer that this is a place that is passive , pathetic , and in need of help from those with the ability to intervene ( Campbell , p . 70 ). Another characteristic of Salgado ' s photographs is the presence of his distinctly religious themes ( Stallabrass , 1997 , p . 150 ). The picture is set in a context of sandy , stony environment , with no vegetation , assaulted by a relentless sun that has sucked away moisture , a dreamlike and ethereal place that one can easily associate with the “ Holy Land ” ( Shawcross and Hodgson , 1987 , p . 3 ). The large , billowing fabric on the mother ' s head gives her an air of mystery , and the contrast between
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