Every Picture Tells a Story

In the first few decades of the 20th century, the social work pioneers leaned heavily on the then new technology of the camera. Ironically, the names of even the leading social photographers are far better known among photographers than among social workers. This article examines the contributions of a few avatars of social photography that were closely connected to the social work pioneers. The career of Paul Kellogg, a social work pioneer who was most associated with social photography, is also briefly examined. Finally, the article suggests that today's social workers should follow the lead of the social work pioneers and use modern technology to put images back into social work campaigns.