The Reality of Images
In order to delve into the process of image searching, we must begin with what's at the core: images -- why we trust them and why we shouldn't.
There is a “commonly held misconception that the camera records objectively...[when actually] it is dependent on perspective and approach” 5
Are these really "apples"?
Images are mistaken for reality when the viewer forgets that which is invisible: the subjective human behind the lens.
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With endless variables, the creator possesses countless opportunities to express their personal vision/interpretation
...under the guise of capturing the truth of a subject.
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A photo alters our relationship to reality
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Ethos of the image convinces us to trust it is an accurate depiction of a physical object/scenario/person/place. Won over by its realism, we fail to acknowledge the invisible persuasion of the image's creator.
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This photo has a particular blend of emotion, perspective, color, & ambiance that was constructed by human manipulation of filters/settings, persuading us that this concert was exciting and fun...and maybe it wasn't?
The ambiguity of photography extends to other visuals
(aided by the rise of digital image manipulation)
This painting, The Treachery of Images (1929) by Rene Magritte perfectly questions the reality of images, reading "This is not a pipe." It is, in fact, a painting of a pipe. A very realistic painting of a pipe that has been photographed and digitally uploaded so that it can appear on websites such as this one.
Examples of manipulated images that change our perception of reality-based subjects (art, animals)
So...what does it suggest about the ethos of a search engine that arbitrary image-definition is at the center of its process?