Photography as Visual Testimony in Conflict Zones

This research article examines conflict photography as a form of visual testimony situated at the intersection of journalism, ethics, and evidentiary practice. It conceptualizes photographs produced in zones of armed conflict not merely as illustrative media content, but as autonomous evidentiary artifacts that shape public knowledge, influence political and humanitarian responses, and contribute to historical and legal records. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship in journalism studies, visual communication, media ethics, and approaches to evidence, the article analyzes how photographs acquire testimonial authority and how this authority may be strengthened or undermined through professional practice. Particular attention is given to field-level decision-making by photojournalists, including choices related to framing, timing, proximity, contextual documentation, and dissemination under conditions of urgency and risk. The study advances an expanded conceptual framework that redefines conflict photography as a form of accountable knowledge production. By articulating the epistemic, ethical, and methodological dimensions of visual testimony, the article provides a theoretical foundation for subsequent verification models and offers practical guidance for photojournalists whose work may later circulate across journalistic, advocacy, and evidentiary domains. The version deposited in Zenodo is presented as a peer-reviewed research article intended to support open academic access, citation, and further interdisciplinary research. The content and analytical structure correspond to the author’s original scholarly contribution and have not been substantively modified.