El instante de muerte : fotografía, prensa, y la finitud humana

Abstract

This Honors Thesis, Shooting the Moment: Photos, Mass Media, and the Instant of Death, explores the evolution of photographical technology and its intersection with print mass media, which allows for the capture and dissemination of images of the instant of death. The author argues that because they capture the exact moment between life and death, these images transcend the typical subjective contexts in which photojournalistic images are placed. Addressing the theoretical implications of these rare images, my conclusion is that they force the spectator to interact beyond the circumstances and directly connect with the image’s punctum, its inherent shock value. In all cases, regardless of political position or personal subjectivity, we recognize and confront our mortality.