American photojournalism

Without neglecting the what and who of photojournalism--what events and developments occurred, what notable images were taken, and who took them--Cookman emphasizes the why. He explains how contemporary photojournalism is grounded in three large ideas: the desire to witness and record historical events and important people, the belief in photography?s power to advance social justice, and the embrace of a universal humanism. Cookman argues that contemporary photojournalists are strongly influenced by these three ideas, and that these ideas have become the central tenets of the profession. --From publisher description.