Photos from wars make very special demands upon photographers, editors, and viewers. If they remain abstract and merely illustrative, without being elucidated, the horror of the events does not become clear. If they are too explicit, they can literally get too close to the people depicted. Gruesome details can hurt the feelings of the peo- ple who are confronted with them by shocking instead of enlightening. Using examp- les from the Ukraine war and other conflicts, the essay attempts to explore ethical problem areas that can arise when trying to be graphic and create empathy without snubbing.
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