The relationship between text and photos is vital for a photographic essay to take shape. Both, although not related, are dependent on one another but must be separated in order to force the viewer to look beyond what is implied and realize the meaning intended for the reader to see.
The first of the four case studies is Spy and Counter-spy: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men which focuses on the work of James Agee and Walker Evans and their idea of a distinct relationship between photography and text. Agee displays the true meaning of his work when he states, "The Photographs are not illustrative. They and the text are coequal, mutually independent, and fully collaborative- (517).This statement broadens the aspect of the photographic essay even more when it is said that text and photographs are equal but need each other in order for the photographic essay to take shape. The book begins with numerous photographs that are still and without text, forcing the viewer to begin to separate text from pictures. Agee's textual insight is where the concept of the photographic essay is formed. The separation of the text and photos allows for interpretation on both separate aspects of the photographic essay. The text and photos are equal and independent but when collaborated, offer a second interpretation. The text and photographs both represent the same power in the essay but when collaborated, a stronger influence is formed. When the text and photographs are put together but are still seen as equally independent, the photographic essay is created. This essay compared to other photographic essay is rather different in its separation of text and pictures and is known as a "minor modern classic- (Ward 133). Agee and Walker, although independent work off of each other and are referred to by Mitchell as "Spy and Counter-spy."" Agee is the spy as a journalist and Walker is the counter-spy as the traveling photographer.
