This work search to discuss which the possibilities of the picture while historical document. It is understanding the photographic language as product of the relationships historical of the men with the middle and of the men with the men, the present work has as objective discusses the photographic language produced by the Service of Protection to the Indian and their bonds with the politics indian of the organ, investigating the theoretical-methodological subject of the picture while historical source. A document that possesses the marks of his time and of their authors – characters real insides of their period - and, in special, in the quality of visual vectors of certain historical events, as well as analysis object part of the photographic production of the German Heinz Foerthmann, one of the main photographers of the SPI in the 40's .