Photojournalism and Reportage Photography

The reportage photography has produced impressive photographs with a global importance as for example the picture of the Tiananmen square in 1989 from Stuart Franklin (as well as shots from Jeff Widener and Arthur Tsang Hin Wah)

Stuart Franklin
Photograph by Stuart Franklin - 1989

The time magazine rated the "tank man" (who is still anonymously) to the "100 most important people of the century" and the life magazine rated the photograph to the "100 Photographs that Changed The World".

But the "authentic" reportage photography can also be changed simply to a mighty instrument of propaganda:

Elliot Erwitt
Photograph by Elliot Erwitt - Moscow 1959

The shot shows Richard Nixon and Nikita Khruschev during an exhibition held in Moscow. Erwitt captured the moment when Nixon poked his finger at Khrushchev. This picture where taken for the presidential campaign of Nixon to acquire an image of a tough and forceful statesman who is managing the cold war problems. But, in reality, this was a bored discussion about food and modern technology kitchens why this scene is also known as "The Kitchen Debate".

Such propaganda purposes can end up also quite different to the intention:

Che Guevara
Photograph by Freddy Alborta / Bolivia 1967

This photograph shows the corpse of Che Guevara, "Che is dead", the officer points on the naked upper part of the body and the shot hole. Only Che is looking into the direction of the camera! The military in Bolivia published this photograph as: "Pride of their victory!"

What became out of it....

Che Guevara
Photograph by Alberto Korda - Cuba 1960

This picture became published first in 1967 after Che Guevara has died with the subtitle "Che lives".

It is the most often reproduced picture of the world.

Che Guevara

As "martyr's death" the glorification and idealisation where followed. The myth "Che Guevara" was born.