Images of Conviction: The Construction of Visual Evidence

by Diane Dufour (Editor), Christian Delage (Contributor), Thomas Keenan (Contributor)

Images of Conviction shows, through 11 cases, how the photographic image is constructed to become evidence.From the scientific methods developed by Alphonse Bertillon, a criminologist who worked for the Prefecture de Police de Paris in the late 19th century, to the first aerial images of the front taken by the army during World War I, to the shots allowing the victims of Stalin's Great Purge to be identified--for over 150 years photography has served as proof, testifying to crime and thus seeming to deliver truths. In the 11 cases presented here, each one situated within its historical and political context, the question of the status of images is acutely posed. Whether it be the famous shots of the Shroud of Turin, the images of the Nuremberg trial, the skull of Josef Mengele or photos taken with cell phones recording the damage of drone strikes in Afghanistan and Israel, forensic images are now part of any police or political investigation.

Genres: Photography

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 25, 2015

Reviews

[Zioluc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esempi di uso della fotografia come prova giudiziaria, ovvero il volto scientifico dell'immagine. Riprese aeree su campi di battaglia, ricostruzioni di fosse comuni, i primi vagiti della polizia scientifica sulla scena del crimine, cataloghi di edifici abbattuti dall'esercito israeliano, il teschio di Mengele, attacchi con droni.
Freddo e tecnico ma mi sono emozionato spesso pensando sia alle vittime sia a chi ha speso anni a ricostruire una storia a partire da una immagine.