First published 2015
David Shields examines more than ten years of front-page war photographs from The New York Times. He discovers that the newspaper systematically selects images that make warfare appear heroic and aesthetically pleasing. Shields argues that this visual manipulation deceives readers and serves as propaganda rather than honest journalism. The Times functions not as a government watchdog but as an amplifier for military power. Through careful analysis of these photographs, Shields demonstrates how the newspaper helped build public support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He challenges readers to recognize their own complicity in accepting these sanitized images of conflict. The book reveals how supposedly objective documentary photography actually filters reality through artistic and political lenses. Shields shows that these beautiful, carefully chosen images numb viewers to the true costs of war.
Genres: political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism, photography, academic
Vibes: analytical, critical, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, media-critique
Setting: New York Times
Period: Iraq War, Afghanistan War
112 pages · Hardcover · powerHouse Books
Content warnings: violence, war