THE DEEP IMAGE
The deep image takes its form from a type of mathematized image, usually used in 3D surveying or contour mapping. This image displays and annotates the distance between a subject’s surface and the camera’s sensor. The deep image translates this distance into the language of data, so height and depth become lines and pixels on screens and pages. Following Denis Woods' argument that maps are “intellectual construction[s] far from reality that take over the reality,” the deep image is neither neutral nor objective, yet it attempts to specify these intellectual constructions as the societal truths. It challenges the audience's perception about the authenticity of non-deep images. Currently, people debate the truth of images. Based on data that leaves little room for manipulation, the deep image convinces the viewer that it is reliable. It has the ability to generate visibility for invisible social constructs.
