Photojournalism has always been an art and a craft. The art is in a photographer's mental processes being translated into a visual image that is true and that can be understood by others. The craftsmanship is in the making of the image all the way through the final print (Irby).
Alterations in photojournalism of course can produce a far more dramatic result. The question is, is it ethical and acceptable? The answer would be no.
Right, Larry Downing/Reuters
President Obama on the magazine cover and in the original photograph with Charlotte Randolph, president of a Louisiana parish, and Adm. Thad W. Allen of the Coast Guard.In this cover of the June 19 issue of The Economist, President Obama was seen standing alone on a Louisiana Beach, head down, looking desperately on the ground. This was during the oil spill that happened this year. The problem was, he was not actually alone. The image was just altered to make it look that way. Images like this can greatly mislead viewers/readers. People can make good/bad assumptions on what they see and what they read.
The ethics in photojournalism really surrounds the general function and definition of photojournalism: which is to capture the real world as it is happening. Though the concept of the real world can be debated, it is up to the photojournalist to capture the image as clearly and honesty as they see it (Burley).
This photo of Katie Couric was digitally altered to make her look 20 pounds lighter. Again, it is unethical to alter images. When the public views it in a magazine or newspaper, they trust and believe that the image is real. Most people get easily perceived on what they see and react negatively. These are the things that cannot be prevented but can be minimized by following the ethics and standards in photojournalism.
Photography always has -- and should always continue to have -- its creative dimension. In the end, the best way to maintain integrity is to provide skilled and thoughtful picture editors and other newsroom staff with the time they need to do their jobs (Irby).
Works Cited:
Burley, Shane "The Definition of Photojournalism: Looking at Ethics in Photojournalism" Bright Hub. 28 Oct 2010, Web. 26 Nov 2010. <http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/93311.aspx>
Irby, Kenneth "Photojournalism in the Age of Scrutiny" Poynter Online. 15 Sept 2006, Web. 26 Nov 2010. <http://www.poynter.org/content/content_view.asp?id=110342>
Peters, Jeremy "On the Economist's Cover, Only a Part of the Picture." New York Times. 5 July 2010, Web. 26 Nov 2010. <http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/on-the-economists-cover-only-a-part-of-the-picture/>
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