Journalism as Relevant Art

When AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus snapped a photo of an Italian soldier standing in front of his bombed-out military barracks last week in Iraq, she created an image which would wind up on the front pages of more than 50 newspapers around the world. That unanimity of editorial taste proves once and for all that news photography can rise to the level of art, says Alan Artner, and Niedringhaus’ photo is a perfect example of the undervalued genre of war photography. “Some war photographs record destruction; others present human reaction. Niedringhaus’ combines the two. Or does it?”