Dramatic photo alterations on journalist photography are neither acceptable nor ethical. Over the past three weeks we have learned about many journalistic photographers that either believe in alterations like Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgando or not like Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Journalistic photography that has had any type of drastic alterations impacts the fundamentals of the photograph such as emotions, content, and the reality factor. Altering photos that will be shown to the public defeats the purpose of photojournalism.
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By alliterating a journalistic photograph it changes the impact of the photo. The code of journalism clearly talks about self-regulation as being true to the audience, being that reliable source. Not only writers are permitted to follow this but also photographers. A photo alone can tell a story with out words, the caption just elaborates what the photograph is. Sensationalism is also a factor that conflicts with photographers like Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgando. They become raped up with the scene; grow connections with the civilians, by doing so they draw for shock value. In the end, they just become to emotionally attach and in a way develop a media bias to their pictures, forcing viewers to see things their way.
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The meaning and story it once had, has been changed to fit the photographer’s meaning and story. For instance, the photograph by Eugene Smith, on his African trip. This photograph showed Dr. Schweitzer with an Africain standing and looking off to the world, however in his eyes he seen it in a political leader aspect. By adding hands clapping and cheering, he completely changed the impact of the photograph, to appear the way he seen it. Even Salgando collection of photographs seen on Time.com was a clear indication of no longer being invisible and interfering with the scene. No one can doubt that his photographs are good however, they aren’t truth and they don’t implement the codes of ethics. They look staged, and forced and in this case should be considered fine arts instead of journalistic photography.
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| Time.com |
Photo alterations cannot be acceptable and it is nowhere close to being ethical. They basically lie, twist the truth to make their own. It’s up to the media to crack down on cases like these. Both Smith and Salgando are just as good as Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson but it comes down to the realistic reliability. That the public has the right to, see things in its true form with out alterations.
Sources:
Presenting the moment: Eugene Smith and Sebastiao Salgado
http://webct.georgebrown.ca/webct/urw/lc2044122001.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
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