Explosive war images largely the work of amateur photographers

THE explosive photos of abuse in an Iraqi prison drive home a defining fact of 21st century life — that the pervasiveness of digital photography and the speed of the internet make it easier to see into dark corners previously out of reach of the mass media.

Some of the most shocking or memorable photos from the Iraq war were almost certainly taken by soldiers or government contractors and zipped around the world with an ease that never existed in the days of film.

"With the technology now, the amateur photographer is as capable as a professional journalist and is operating with the same tools: Digital camera, laptop and an internet connection," said Keith Jenkins photo editor of the Washington Post Magazine.