Yes, it’s true that a picture can be worth a thousand words. But who’s words?
I’m a photographer. I spend a lot of time not only taking pictures, but looking at them, editing them, analyzing them. One thing I’ve learned is that pictures quite often show a distorted view of reality. Primarily, pictures are a snapshot of time, and they crop-out much more than they show. They provide little context. The world doesn’t exist as a series of still images, it exists in 360 degrees, all around us, all the time, as a continuous stream. When you see a photograph, you are simply not seeing reality.
If we see a picture of a bloodied person, what does that tell us? Maybe this person was tortured... maybe they fell down a flight of stairs. Maybe it’s someone else’s blood. Maybe there’s only a tiny cut that caused all that blood. Maybe they’re dead. Maybe they’re alive. Maybe they were hit repeatedly. Maybe they were hit only once. Maybe they hit their own head intentionally. Maybe they were just rescued from a combat situation and not yet cleaned up. Maybe this picture is an exception. Maybe it is the rule. Maybe it was taken in a hospital just before treatment was administered. Maybe it was taken in a dungeon, just before a murder. Maybe that picture was taken last week, maybe last year, maybe 10 years ago? Maybe it was taken in Guantanamo, maybe in Iraq, maybe in Wichita Kansas...
The first problem is that you simply do not know.
The second problem is that everyone who sees such a picture will attach their own story to it. They might be skeptical. They might be angry. They might use the picture as propaganda. They might view the picture as propaganda. They might be horrified, and change their perceptions of policy. As this is the case, what is the real goal with releasing such pictures?
We trust our eyes. We see reality with them every day, all the time. So, when we see a picture, our first gut reaction is to believe our eyes. It’s hard not to do this. All I can do is warn you – don’t. Pictures are not reality.
It’s true that pictures can inspire and horrify. Iconic images have been a serious force in history. But, pictures should be understood as symbols; not reality. True, a series of brutal images of torture would be a powerful symbol... but we all ought to think long and hard about the full consequences of releasing such images to a world that is not well-equipped nor skeptical enough to put them in their proper context.
So, what would I do? I’d release textual descriptions of the pictures. For example:
Image 1: Shows individual with cut over eye, and swelling on cheekbone. Cut is approx 2 inches in length, and not bloody; does not appear to be a deep cut. Swelling on cheek is moderate. Individual appears to be male, approx 25 years old, of medium build. Hair is thin, dark, and not combed. Individual appears of middle-eastern descent. Image is cropped to show only upper torso above shoulders. Background is dull white and non-descript. Individual appears to be conscious. Image was taken on 25-April-2004 3:25pm at location X. Two other images of this individual are show in this group (Image 23, Image 24).
This would give us some idea of what is shown in these images so we can rationally judge the legal ramifications of them. However, it would not allow the same level of knee-jerk mis-interpretation that an image without context can bring. It will also limit the ability of propagandists of all sides to hijack the image for their own purposes.
The descriptions could be reviewed by whoever submitted the FOIA request; i.e. they could see the pictures, and be able to sign-off on the description. This way we'd know. We wouldn't have people running around saying they think they heard someone say something about pictures of raping little kids, etc.
Right now, there is some debate about images first published somewhere Australia. Where are these images from? When were they taken? What do they show? And what do they not show?... Who knows? The problem is that people with an agenda – from the left, right, middle-east, and wherever will all attach their own answers to these questions, and the world will not be a better place because of it.