"Tracing the Individual Body" - Sierra Flynn

I found this essay very interesting because, although it may sound morbid, I have always been fascinated with crime and detective stories. I have never before contemplated the origin of the mug shot and the difficulty associated with identifying criminals before the development of photography. In the writing, it is stated that photography provides the ultimate means of tying identity to a specific and unique body (6) and that “photography made it possible for the first time to preserve permanent and unmistakable traces of a human being” (Benjamin 7). These statements are extremely valid. For the first time in history, the criminal justice system did not have to rely on verbal descriptions that could be marred by the “inescapable subjectivity” of the witnesses. They could instead physically match the culprits with an image. The essay also states photography captures “the criminal in an act of unconscious revelation” (8). In class we discussed how photography allows observers to see intricate details that are normally overlooked. When thinking about photography in the sense of criminal documentation, it gives a whole new meaning to the idea of spotting unique (and identifiable) details; the details are no longer art, but a court verdict. Lastly, I found the Freud’s “development of paranoia” case intriguing. This severe case of paranoia made me wonder if the public echoed the thoughts of this crazed lady or if they felt safer because of these technological advancements. It is a bit difficult (and almost comical) to imagine an old still or video camera catching someone in the middle of a lewd act. However, the idea alone could have led people to feel a bit wary as they walked down the street. This essay was of great interest to me and I find it very applicable to the previous discussions we have conducted in class.