Critical Analysis Of Why We Take Pictures By Susan Sontag

In the essay, “ Why We Take Pictures,” the author Susan Sontag states that photography is not only a simple tool for seeking pleasure but can also be used against anxiety and as tool of power. Sontag emphasises the importance of photography during traveling by stating the anxieties that people can face if they are not taking pictures. First, Sontag points out that people feel disorientation in a new place the uncertainty of what the new place will be like can cause people to panic. However, taking picture enables people to have certain control over the new environments the fact that one knows where he or she is at and where he or she has been, helps individuals cure their anxieties. Second, Sontag indicates that anxieties during traveling can also be caused by the guilt of not being at work. The feeling of doing nothing while traveling frequently caused anxiety for people who are used to their daily work routine; taking pictures while traveling offered people a sense of purpose when they

From being a tool that only used during special occasions and used by professional photographer to a device that almost every family will have at least one of it. The purpose of recording moments during special events has also expand to capture our daily moments. Other than being a tool that captures memory, people nowaday also use it to defense anxiety, bring comfort, and share happiness. People can get rid of anxiety of being separated apart and bring comfort at foreign environment by simply taking pictures. Most importantly it shares the happiness with everyone that photographer wants to share. Just as Sontag emphasises in her essay, photography is useful tool that captures the memories, defenses against anxiety, and brings familiarity. In additional, personally I also believe that photos can empower the world by sharing