Documenting Violence in Photographs

How can a photographer convey suffering and injustice, yet avoid subjecting those photographed to further harm or stigma? Donna DeCesare answers this question in a photo essay, "Documenting Violence," in the latest issue of ReVista, the Harvard Review of Latin America, now available online. DeCesare, a member of the Dart Center's executive committee, describes her novel approach in the introduction to her images.

"Knowing that I couldn’t control local exposure of my images, I needed to find a way of working that would protect my subject’s identities, allay their fears, and empower them to speak truthfully about their lives. Those who feel imprisoned by stigma need to have a context in which they can exercise control. When a child asked if he could pick a different name to accompany his photographs and story, it occurred to me that he was really asking to share control. This inspired me to look for ways to make the image-making process collaborative."

The text (but not the images) can be navigated online; to view the full issue, including DeCesare's photographs, download the PDF.