Documenting War

When comparing these two bodies of work one aspect that makes them stand out to me is the fact that Berman’s images seem like they are purely journalistic. The class was encouraged to think about the role of documentary photographer in times of war. We were also asked to reflect a bit on the difference in style, color, composition, etc. Taro’s photographs are in the action. She is out on the front line with the soldiers and basically redefining the term “action shot.” Berman, more recently, has created a photographic essay, which is titled “Purple Hearts,” and is a collection of portraits of those injured in battle. Not to add to the criticism on color, but I feel that that along with the staging and composition makes the images feel journalistic. I am actually pretty sure that I saw the image of the soldier and his bride in “World Press Photo” and in a magazine or two. So, I am probably not the best judge. Anyway, the series tells a successful and true story, but seem like the kind of images that should be accompanied by text explaining how terrible war is.