Appalachia, Photographs and CNN

© Stacy Kranitz

Photographer Stacy Kranitz was recently featured on CNN's Photo blog for her series Regression to the Mean, which looks at both stereotypes and anomalies in Appalachian culture. However, the edit selected by CNN has caused a bit of controversy for reinforcing cultural stereotypes and many claim that the photographer's intentions were misquoted and the work taken out of context.

CNN has since replaced several images and rewritten the copy, but several websites have picked up the story including Conscientious and Walk Your Camera. There's also an interview with the photographer and her feelings over at The Revivalist. The entire situation raises some interesting issues about Appalachia, photography and controlling context. Whether you point the finger at news organizations like CNN or the photographer responsible for creating the images, it demonstrates how easily representations can be mis-represented.