Ethics Photojournalism

Photography, meaning “drawing with lights” in Greek, is an art as well as a science of capturing light and storing it on a medium with unprecedented accuracy. Yet, up until the late 18th century, history was mainly recorded through the techniques of painting and the press. These mediums unarguably contained a certain degree of a truth, though, it was not uncommon for events, such as war to be composed with glorified details, or an unfavorable bias from the artist at hand. Beginning in the 1830’s, cameras provided a revolutionary solution by combining the advancements in optics and chemistry. Consequently, the new medium of photography was established and forever changed how history would be visually captured. Unlike other methods, photography

This essay will discuss the links between photography and censorship and how the photographer and the media uses this to distribute images of a atrocity to the masses, when is it appropriate to censor images and when is it not? Do ‘controlled’ images affect the meaning and how we view them or do they simply allow us to not get desensitized? Photojournalists play a key role in the media their role is to photograph the events that take place in front of them but is it always appropriate to keep taking that image, “a photograph passes for incontrovertible proof that a given thing happened” (Sontag, 1979, p. 5) photography provides the evidence that the event happened why should that be withheld from the viewer. There is always a reason why a photographer may self censor and this essay will explore this by looking at ‘Will Stacey 's’ Photographs Not Taken. In the digital age with everyone having a phone which is capable of taking a image citizen journalism has been on the rise since the invention of the smartphone allowing more and more people to document the possible news that could unfold in front of them, but are the images that come out of their smartphone more true to life and unfiltered due to the fact that they may not be educated in photography thus they don’t hunt the ‘perfect’ shot they simply recorded what unfolds in front of them, to look further at this the essay will look at Stuart Allans and Einar Thorsen’s ‘Citizen journalism Global perspectives’ to gain a

Another significant reason that has played a vital role in photojournalism of recent times is the emergence of imaging technologies. Imaging technologies has undoubtedly played a major part in the works of a photojournalist today. Based on earlier accounts on how photography itself is an inherent manipulation, the question is no longer directed on ‘how has imaging technologies manipulate photojournalism' but ‘how much more has imaging

Since the camera was invented in 1826, it has been used to document everything from social injustice, inequality, famine, war, and human rights abuses to uplifting scenes of humanity, brotherhood, victory, love and hope (Ferdous). Throughout the years society has come to realize the true potential of a photograph and its ability to acknowledge the truth through intense and thought provoking imagery. The camera has helped journalists be able to connect with society in a way that was unique. The creation of the camera gave journalist the ability to communicate through the use of pictures. This newly found aspect made it possible for others to see exactly what the photographer has seen. With this ability photojournalism was created.

A reoccurring topic of the essays, concerning photography, discussed during the course is the future of professional photographers/photojournalists. Some believe that the easily accessible spread of amateur photography can and has put a strain on the works of professionals. However, with magazines such as National Geographic still in print after over a century, it raises some questions. Though the spread of information, and thus photography, has increased the platforms and need for professional photographers and photojournalists still exists.

Their print journalist counterparts, who are afforded not only the luxury of editing, but also a few column inches within which to develop their perception of the story fall into a different category all together. A photojournalist must ascertain the defining image of a news event as it is happening and capture it on film. If he or she is doing the job correctly, a reader can get a very good idea of what happened without even reading the accompanying article. There is no luxury of editing in photojournalism, the moment is either captured forever, or it isn't. If a fantastic shot is missed, it is gone forever.

Quinn expresses a fundamental concern with the validity and objectivity of journalism with the coming of the digital age, and the increasing role that digital/information technology plays in media that reports or represents reality. Quinn begins his 2004 paper with the mention of the transition of non-digital/traditional photography into mainly digital photography with respect to journalism. More than just the changing of the photographic platform and format, Quinn notes the role that computer software that specializes in photographic manipulation in journalism. Early on, he contends, "Technical advancement has helped photojournalism be more effective in may ways, but has also created ethical challenges in making deception expeditious and less transparent." (Quinn, 2004, 1) The article explores this ethical quandary. Digital technology, photographic software, and digital manipulation are tightly integrated into modern photojournalism, among many other industries and fields. Quinn challenges readers to consider and explore the ethics of photographic manipulation and the implications upon perception. He presents the digital manipulation as having a positive and use; furthermore, that at this point in history and in the profession of photojournalism, it is unavoidable. Quinn clearly additionally presents the issue as loaded with negative ethical implications and

Ever since photojournalism emerged in the early 20th century as a genre of photography, there has been criticism surrounding the ethics and morals of photographing the suffering of others. So-called “documentary photography” has sparked questioning of the responsibility of a witness of suffering in creating positive change. Critics continue to label certain works of photojournalists as exploitation of impoverished people, while the photojournalists themselves argue that the purpose of their photography is to spark attention, awareness, and change. The ethics of displaying photographs of suffering in the media or in exhibition lies in what these images are being used for. A very direct investigation into this idea is through the photography of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado.

For the past century, the use of photography has provided us with a plethora of images documenting history and cementing memories. It became a medium through which to provide news, sum up all of the words within an article into a single image and further evoke the reader’s emotions through visual stimuli. Although the first known photograph taken for journalism was to capture the events of the Crimean War during 1855, perhaps the most impressive utilization of the camera for news was during WW2 (Struet, Thomas). Never before had photos exposed such catastrophic and inhumane conditions imposed onto a massive group of people. The use of photography during WW2 to illustrate the horrific events taken place in Europe brought on such compassion through the masses; essentially making photojournalism a critical practice through which to provide information.

(Bellis, 2009) Nevertheless, the main selling point of digital cameras was the convenient way that they could be stored. Every exposure is almost instantly saved to a removable disk drive, which remarkably expired the use of darkroom processing. It was convenient, less time was needed to produce an image, making it particularly appealing to journalism. The photograph has since then become an instant process. Combined with the invention of the Internet, and booming industry of personal computers, the newer technology would expire its predecessor. There are billions of photographs on the Internet, comprising the largest most diverse photo collection ever assembled. We have access to imagery from all over the world, using key words and hash tags to catalogue imagery and content; we can see what is happening without being there. The introduction of digital photography has enabled photographers to record terabits of imagery which can be stored in minute places, meaning the coverage that we have of the modern world is greater than ever. Unlike the formats that Henri Cartier-Bresson used, where each roll of film, or negative slide needed storing in a large physical place, under controlled conditions, an archive of objects. Automation came with digital photography, its combination of digital components allowed the camera to automatically detect light qualities, and

Photography not only makes people remember good things, but also helps people record every day. According to Wheeler’s “phototruth and photofiction”, Photographs are always manipulated in many ways. For example, computer technology and smart phone can fix the pictures in this new century. First, people can use an app called Photoshop which can fake pictures easily. Photoshop has great features that can add everything into the picture wherever users want. Secondly, people use some softwares to make pictures more beautiful. In addition, Wheeler also gives us example in the Keeneth Brower’s article. He told about faked nature photos, such as New York daily news which showed President Bill Climton

Many famous photographers use editing software, most people use Photoshop; editing software help us make our photographs better, we can crop, brighten, auto-fix, add filters and so many other things. You can focus, and blur. Things you might not consider while taking the photograph.

By focusing on selected ethical dilemmas, …...within this dissertation, I aim to highlight how the photographic image has been prostituted.will utilise a significant number of cases of ethical dilemmas though the photographic image,What’s more thought examine the part of photography, ‘the real’ inside today’s society. It will begin with A discourse of the thinking to the introductory shift again towards the

In the last decade computer technology has been introduced to photography yet again challenging the meaning

To wholly have a grasp on how this new founded approach to journalism has changed alongside technology—as well as understanding the dangers such openness brings forth—one has to understand what exactly those changes are. Primarily, those that are writing for the sake of offering information have, whether willingly or not, fed into the usage of social media as it has become a centralized method of distribution that is relatively inescapable with the current times. As such those framing the news for the masses find an authentic avenue to stay in contact via social media that has benefits ranging from, “its extraordinary newsgathering potential; its potential as a new tool to engage the audience; and as a way of distributing our news” (Eltringham, 2012), all of which are deeply different from the presentation of reporting that occurred during earlier eras. Days of strongly structured instances of journalism that could not travel with such speed have been replaced as, “social media has trashed many of the foundations on