Fauxtography: the Intimate Relation between Photography, Falsification and Deception

Abstract

This article investigates the central role of falsification in photography, examining its philosophical, technical, and ethical dimensions. Building on the New Theory of Photography and Nelson Goodman’s framework on autographic art, the study conceptualizes photography as a three-stage process – shooting, development, and final destination – where authenticity is determined by the author’s control over each phase. The analysis further explores the on-tological relationship between photograph and referent, highlighting the inherent subjectivity of framing and the illusion of photographic truth. Finally, the paper addresses the boundaries of authenticity and forgery, emphasizing how unauthorized posthumous prints or digital reproductions constitute fakes. These interrelated dimensions reveal photography as a medium simultaneously characterized by realism and vulnerability to deception, challenging its traditional status as a language of truth.