World War I was called the "war of the camera." While many earlier wars fought a
fter photography's invention were documented by the medium, WWI represented a tu
rning point. One of the most important changes was the way in which both the All
ied forces and the Central Powers used photography as a tool: to spy, to provoke
and to persuade. The official photographs made during the war were telling in t
erms of strategies, censorship and the constant need to whip up public support f
or the cause.
In sharp contrast to the political and military uses, the impor
tance of photography for personal use was undeniable. Studio portraits of soldie
rs and their families and sweethearts were widely popular; personal photo albums
created permanent records of lives that were suddenly placed at risk. This volu
me and the exhibition it accompanies, bring together a diverse and remarkable se
lection of photographs drawn from international collections to illustrate the ma
ny important roles that photography played during the war.
