--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How useful are documentary photographs if…" description: "\"How useful are documentary photographs if there is no follow up, no way of knowing what happened next in the story?\" — Martha Rosler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png" --- # How useful are documentary photographs if there is no… ![“How useful are documentary photographs if there is no follow up, no way of knowing what happened next in the story?” quote by Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png) > “How useful are documentary photographs if there is no follow up, no way of knowing what happened next in the story?” [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Documentary photos lose impact without follow‑up that reveals their aftermath and context **In simple terms:** Photos need later context to stay meaningful Key Takeaway Ensure stories continue beyond the image Themes art criticism documentation storytelling Mood reflective analytical Type artistic educational When to use this quote - journalism - exhibitions - educational programs Key Concepts ethics historical context media responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can photographers ensure ongoing narratives? - What platforms help track photo subjects over time? A Different Perspective Without follow‑up, images can be misinterpreted or forgotten ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Documentaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [The dismal half-baked images of the average "reportage" and "documentary" photography are self dammning... the slick manner, the slightly obscure significance, the esoteric fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/the-dismal-half-baked-images-of-the-average-reportage-and-documentary/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [It's certainly important to include text beside documentary photographs. Furthermore, it's important to include text in a way that's useful and accessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-franklin/it-s-certainly-important-to-include-text-beside-documentary/) [Stuart Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-franklin/) > [“It's often when you're talking over things that you seem to see your way clear. Your mind gets made up for you sometimes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/it-s-often-when-you-re-talking-over-things-that-you-seem-to-see-your/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [It all made sense - terrible sense. The panic she had experienced in the warehouse district because of not knowing what had happened had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flora-rheta-schreiber/it-all-made-sense-terrible-sense-the-panic-she-had-experienced-in-the/) [Flora Rheta Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flora-rheta-schreiber/) > [“Someone could save your life without you ever knowing it. It happened more than most people realized.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-courtney-sullivan/someone-could-save-your-life-without-you-ever-knowing-it-it-happened/) [J. Courtney Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-courtney-sullivan/) > [I was obsessed with not knowing what happened after you were dead. And I sat or kneeled for a whole day with my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/i-was-obsessed-with-not-knowing-what-happened-after-you-were-dead-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [“And what do you get out of it?” I shrugged. “Knowing for sure.” “Knowing what happened to Lizzie?” “Knowing there’s more to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-sedoti/and-what-do-you-get-out-of-it-i-shrugged-knowing-for-sure-knowing/) [Chelsea Sedoti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-sedoti/) > [There are not many things that can happen much worse to a family than having a member taken and not knowing what happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-allen/there-are-not-many-things-that-can-happen-much-worse-to-a-family-than/) [Joan Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-allen/) > [“I've come to realize there's a world of difference between knowing something happened, even knowing why it happened, and believing it. Because when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ve-come-to-realize-there-s-a-world-of-difference-between-knowing/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [We all have life experiences, right? But without knowing what's happened to another person, you can't just apply, like, your triggers and what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aspen-ladd/we-all-have-life-experiences-right-but-without-knowing-what-s/) [Aspen Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aspen-ladd/) > [I've become to realize there's a world of difference between knowing something happened, even knowing why it happened, and believing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ve-become-to-realize-there-s-a-world-of-difference-between-knowing/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [The exposé, the compassion and outrage, of documentary fueled by the dedication to reform has shaded over into combinations of exoticism, tourism, voyeurism, psychologism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/the-expos-the-compassion-and-outrage-of-documentary-fueled-by-the/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [When American administration will find that their interest is to follow up with the international conference and to find peace in this area, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/when-american-administration-will-find-that-their-interest-is-to/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [ My four-year-old daughter regularly requests reading Book One \[the March\] at bedtime; the methods of reading, delivering, and processing the book's content vary according… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/my-four-year-old-daughter-regularly-requests-reading-book-one-the/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [Leadership is about three-fourths show-the-way and about one-fourth follow-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/leadership-is-about-three-fourths-show-the-way-and-about-one-fourth/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) ## More by Martha Rosler > [Just going out on a foray to assemble a collection of street trophies about this or that running social sore can't be effective -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/just-going-out-on-a-foray-to-assemble-a-collection-of-street-trophies/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [ Photography \[can\] be seen as a system of representation that you bring to bear on other systems. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/photography-can-be-seen-as-a-system-of-representation-that-you-bring/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [So much of my work involved the Vietnam War that it would have been obscene to show it in a gallery. But now, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/so-much-of-my-work-involved-the-vietnam-war-that-it-would-have-been/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [Take the Money and Run? Can Political and Socio-Critical Art ‘Survive’?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/take-the-money-and-run-can-political-and-socio-critical-art-survive/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [“Artists and activists offend the sensibilities of the rule-bound when they interfere with people”s ability to accept things in the private realm as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/artists-and-activists-offend-the-sensibilities-of-the-rule-bound-when/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [The exposé, the compassion and outrage, of documentary fueled by the dedication to reform has shaded over into combinations of exoticism, tourism, voyeurism, psychologism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/the-expos-the-compassion-and-outrage-of-documentary-fueled-by-the/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [Are we asserting the easy dominion of our civilization over all times and all places, as signs that we casually absorb as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/are-we-asserting-the-easy-dominion-of-our-civilization-over-all-times/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [Any familiarity with photographic history shows that manipulation is integral to photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/any-familiarity-with-photographic-history-shows-that-manipulation-is/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [Documentary is a little like horror movies, putting a face on fear and transforming threat into fantasy, into imagery. One can handle imagery by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/documentary-is-a-little-like-horror-movies-putting-a-face-on-fear-and/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [I was concerned with something like the notion of 'language speaking the subject,' and with the transformation of the woman herself into a sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/i-was-concerned-with-something-like-the-notion-of-language-speaking/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) > [The question at hand is the danger posed to truth by computer-manipulated photographic imagery. How do we approach this question in a period in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/the-question-at-hand-is-the-danger-posed-to-truth-by-computer/) [Martha Rosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) [Explore all 12 Martha Rosler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/) ## More Documentaries quotes > [I like the cinema of people like Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton. I am not keen on trying to reproduce reality - for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-jeunet/i-like-the-cinema-of-people-like-terry-gilliam-and-tim-burton-i-am/) [Jean-Pierre Jeunet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-jeunet/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/) [Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/) > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [...it is a very risky thing for anyone to go about proclaiming the truth simply because he finds himself in possession of concrete documentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-amado/it-is-a-very-risky-thing-for-anyone-to-go-about-proclaiming-the-truth/) [Jorge Amado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-amado/) > [Most of my life, I thought that I would end up a novelist. But then, in New York City, after college, I started a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/most-of-my-life-i-thought-that-i-would-end-up-a-novelist-but-then-in/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. I thought it was (a more) artful (title) than documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/by-calling-it-a-memoir-i-meant-is-as-a-collection-of-memories-i/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [The pictures that were coming from Vietnam were showing us what was really happening on the ground level. It was in contradiction to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/the-pictures-that-were-coming-from-vietnam-were-showing-us-what-was/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [I'm in school every day. It depends on what it is that you do with all that free time when I'm not on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-lyte/i-m-in-school-every-day-it-depends-on-what-it-is-that-you-do-with-all/) [MC Lyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-lyte/) > [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [So I do tend to do documentaries where I can move in and out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-apted/so-i-do-tend-to-do-documentaries-where-i-can-move-in-and-out-of-them/) [Michael Apted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-apted/) > [Helen Weaver’s book was a revelation to me! Although I was a young woman in the fifties, I was there, but I wasn’t there!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-cassady/helen-weaver-s-book-was-a-revelation-to-me-although-i-was-a-young/) Carolyn Cassady > [There's a tradition of reenactment in documentary which is about sort of illustrating what the past might have been like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/there-s-a-tradition-of-reenactment-in-documentary-which-is-about-sort/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [I've had frustrated storytelling juices that have been lying dormant for a long time, and I guess the documentary was a way of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-ve-had-frustrated-storytelling-juices-that-have-been-lying-dormant/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) [Browse all 718 Documentaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How useful are documentary photographs if there is no follow up, no way of knowing what happened next in the story?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martha Rosler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-if-there-is-no-follow-up-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Documentaries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-if-there-is-no-follow-up-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/martha-rosler-37642_documentaries_how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-i_1474238.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How useful are documentary photographs if there is no follow up, no way of knowing what happened next in the…” — Martha Rosler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martha Rosler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-rosler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How useful are documentary photographs if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-if-there-is-no-follow-up-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-rosler/how-useful-are-documentary-photographs-if-there-is-no-follow-up-no/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```