The Importance and Consequences of War Photography

Abstract

War photographs speak of war through stories. Stories of people they depict, usually during
the most painful situations of their lives. Thanks to these photographs, we are able to learn
about the suffering of others. However, few people know those standing behind the lens,
risking their lives and health, so they could tell us these stories. This article focuses on the
influence of war photography on photographers’ mental health. It wants to point out the
relevance of war photography, which is important even today (especially in relation to the
war in Ukraine, i.e., affecting us deeply), and learn about the inner world of photojournalists
and their perception of their work. The article addresses the issue of the psychological effect
of war photography on its authors. The objective is to demonstrate the psychological impacts
of war photography and map its consequences. The article points out the development of war
photography in the world and in Slovakia; it also refers to the pioneers of this field. The issue
of psychological impacts of war photography, its origins and contribution, the ethical code of
media pictures, as well as current perception of war photography are all analysed. The study
further addresses the topical conflict in Ukraine and the work of photojournalists that have
spent several days there risking their lives to bring us a visual testimony directly from the
battlefront. It is also worth mentioning that at the time of writing this paper, i.e., at the
beginning of April 2022, 12 journalists have been confirmed dead.