Transcript Photojournalism and Photo Essays

Photojournalism and Photo
Essays
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Photojournalism
described as
“the craft of
employing
photographic
storytelling to
document life: it is
universal and
transcends cultural
and language
bounds.”
The Downturn of the Economy
By Anthony Suau
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1738458,00.html
Spiritual Healing Around the World
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1878443,00.html
Making a Caption
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Who, What, When
Where, Why
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Top Left: Astronaut Michael Barratt trains
for a trip to the International Space
Station at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan
Bottom Left: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men
dance while celebrating the holiday at a
synagogue in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim
neighborhood
Bottom Right: In the northern city of
Mathura, Hindu devotees celebrate the
festival of Holi by throwing colored
powder on each other
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Ethics in
Photojournalism
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The development of news
photography in the 19th
century supported claims by
newspapers that they
reported events as they
happened, objectively.
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Today, the ethics of
photojournalism goes far
beyond the ethics of the
newspaper photo. It includes
the millions of news-related
images that appear on our
televisions, cell phones,
computer screens and other
multi-media devices. We are
an image-saturated world.
Ethics in Photojournalism:
Manipulation of Digital Images
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With Photoshop and the
availability of many editing
programs, photos can be edited
to change the meaning of the
picture
 Example: After OJ Simpson was
arrested for the murder of his
wife, both Newsweek and Time
Magazine released his mug
shot except Time Magazine
darkened the image in order to
make him seem “more guilty”
 Time Magazine was criticized
 Issue was exceptionally
controversial because he was
still on trial at the time and these
images could easily affect the
jury, even if they were isolated
from the public
Ethics in Photojournalism:
Intrusion of Privacy
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When is it legitimate to
take pictures of people in
private moments?
Should photojournalists
capture images of
politicians, movie stars and
other public figures in
private spaces?
Should photojournalists
take shots of families in
grief, or victims of tragedy?
The public perception of
the journalist, and of the
news media in general,
has suffered from
unjustified intrusions into
privacy.
The ethical question is:
When is intrusion justified?
Ethics of Photojournalism:
Graphic or Shocking Images
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How graphic should -- or
must -- images be to tell the
news story?
If news outlets use graphic
pictures of war, they are
accused of exploiting the
pain of others. If they avoid
graphic photos, they are
accused of “sanitizing” the
conflict.
What criteria should guide
photo decisions -- local or
community standards?
Newsworthiness? Dramatic
impact? A commitment to tell
the whole truth?
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“What is the real
journalistic value of the
photographs? What do
they prove and why are
they news? Do they
dispel or affirm
information the public
had prior to seeing the
images?”
By looking at the photos
in terms of what they
add to the news, editors
should be able to
determine whether
publication is
appropriate.
Ethics of Photojournalism:
General Guidelines
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Be accurate and comprehensive
in the representation of
subjects.
Resist being manipulated by
staged photo opportunities.
Editing should maintain the
integrity of the photographic
images' content and context.
Treat all subjects with respect
and dignity. Give special
consideration to vulnerable
subjects and compassion to
victims of crime or tragedy.
Intrude on private moments of
grief only when the public has
an overriding and justifiable
need to see.
Respect the integrity of the
photographic moment.