Does a Documentry Photograph have to be honest?

<p>The OP asked about <em>documentary</em> photos. Presumably, then, it wasn't questioning whether a posed photo of a soldier on the battlefield could be a news photo but whether it could be documentary. </p>

<p>Well. Every photograph is documentary to one extend or another and can only be "true" documentary to some extend within one defined frame of reference. In general sense this above mentioned photo from Spanish CW era is noeither classify as documentary nor true one. It could have been taken anywhere, the person in the picture is unidentifieble, time and place are unknown. Unless you trust the source and/or have momentum of personal emotional reaction of youown - it has no documentary value.</p>

<p>A photo can never lie but yes a photographer can .</p>

<p>By Law a Documentary photograph cannot be manipulated, but as far as the truth it sometimes only represents part of the truth. For example let's say that a photographer decides to do a documentary on a certain neighborhood.<br>

He decides to take a picture of derelicts on a certain street. The caption under the picture reads " 99th street" although this is the actual name of the street, the caption does not mention that the picture was take at night. During the day "99th street" is actually a bustling commercial center. The average user who sees the picture of the derelicts might at a glance get the wrong idea even though the picture is only depicting one aspect of that reality. </p>

<p>"A photo can never lie but yes a photographer can" .</p>

<p>A photograph only offers a percieved truth.</p>

<p>Imagination is the only truth.</p>