War Photography 101: Definition, History, Importance & Purpose

War photography has a distinct and consistent definition. A definition that demands bravery and, of course, conscience. It is known as documenting war zones and armed conflicts, as well as the lives and occurrences of individuals throughout this time period. In a nutshell, combat photography depicts the reality of conflict. Facts that are not apparent in and of themselves, and it is the responsibility of photographers to bring them to the public's attention.

- Sanchit Mishra

History of war photography

At the start of World War I, photography was still thought to be the finest means to gain a sense of reality. We talk about incontrovertible objectivity, and as such, we feel that the picture is well adapted to portray the new contemporary battle. Thus, an infinite number of photographs were shot during its course, using cameras of various types, by professional photographers or simple amateurs, in this case, troops who departed with their own equipment. Photographs showing war scenes, on the other hand, are highly rare and frequently fragmentary or defective among the different themes handled.

During the Crimean War, the first photographic war reports occur (1854-55). The initial images are mostly of encampments, officers, and troops. The excessively long stop time and bulky equipment hinder photographers from getting close to the action. Expensive development and reproduction challenges, on the other hand, prohibit it from establishing itself as a distinct genre. At the very least, the use of cliché negatives encourages printing and challenges us to reconsider war. Photography did not begin to develop its own discourse until the years 1860-1870. The rise of the mainstream press and technological advancements then provided it with a huge distribution area, allowing picture reporting to impose itself as a favoured way of narrating the conflict by the end of the century.