Topic 3: Alterations in journalistic photography

As I have said before I feel like photojournalism is a way to communicate news to the world. The news whether it is spoken, written, or photographed is supposed to be an honest portrayal of the world, when photojournalistic photographs are altered it alters the truth this is not ethical or acceptable when it comes to the press. No matter the subject of the photography there should be no glorified or sugar coded alterations to the photographs. Journalism is about real life subject matter and the public wants to see real life being portrayed in the press, and the public deserve to have that right. If a photojournalist alters their photographs they loose their credibility as a photojournalist and I feel they do not deserve the title of a photojournalist. Another argument against photo alteration is that a lot of the time photographs go along with a piece of written press in a news article. Integrity is extremely important when it comes to the press and serious issues, when a piece of work and a photograph are put together the message is even stronger then when they are separate. If the message is portrayed incorrectly it can have a huge impact on the public. Photojournalism has a big impact on the viewers mental image and opinion of what happened in whatever the subject matter may be. When a journalistic photograph is altered it could become a completely different message then what it was intended to be in the first place.

Here are some passages I felt were helpful during my research. 

Part of the digital camera’s popularity can be explained by an increased command over the outcome of pictures now that electronic processes allow for greater manipulability, and yet the flipside is that pictures can also be easily manipulated by anyone who has access to the appropriate toolbox. A similar paradox can be noticed in regard to the distribution of personal pictures. While the internet allows for quick and easy sharing of private snapshots, that same tool also renders them vulnerable to unauthorized distribution.

Photography always also served as an instrument of communication and as a means of sharing experience. As Susan Sontag argued in 1973, the tourist’s compulsion to take snapshots of foreign places reveals how taking pictures can become paramount to experiencing an event; at the same time, communicating experiences with the help of photographs is an integral part of tourist photography.

Source: 

Digital photography: communication, identity, memory by Jose Van Dijck

Here are some examples of altered press photography.

It was August 1989, TV Guide published the above image of Oprah Winfrey featured as queen of daytime TV talk shows on its cover. The doctored photo composites an image of Oprah's head with Ann Margret's body.

MacDailyNews argued that evidence suggested TIME Magazine purposefully distorted the aspect ratio of a Getty image. The intent was to create the physical appearance of Job's illness to match the copy.

The TIME Magazine article, "Why is Steve Jobs skipping MacWorld?" stated, "Jobs has battled pancreatic cancer and has been looking exceptionally thin since the summer." MacDailyNews said that the Getty photo TIME Magazine selected to depict was purposefully squeezed in the XY axis in order to make him appear thinner (and sicker), than in reality.

"An image of Katie Couric, originally released in May by CBS, was slimmed down for reuse..."

Source: 

http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/editorials_picks.php?all=showall&tid=14

DB 11

What are the main differences and similarities? 

Eugene Smith’s and Sebastio Salgado’s collection of photographs seemed to capture that of trouble, suffering and despair. They were not afraid to capture the gruesome aspects of lives. They both expressed strong opinions on human nature and the state of some human living. Salgado was lucky enough to travel to Africa and document the working conditions and lives of the people living there. While Smith actually attended the war and chose to document the tragities that occurred while he was there. In contrast, Andre Kertesz’s and Henri Cartier Bresson’s photography is more focused on aesthetics than human lives and the conditions of which they live. Their photography is simple in subject matter compared to that of Smith and Salgado. This isn’t to say that their work is any less impressive or important, only that they are not considered photojournalists. 

What is the better Journalistic approach?

I think that to be a good photojournalist you should refrain from editing you photographs. Photojournalism is a form of news and the news written, spoken, or photographed should not be altered. The message should be clear and unedited, if photographs are edited the message can come across differently than it should. It could become worse or better than what it actually is. I also feel that if a photojournalist goes unnoticed while they are taking photographs it is more organic way of capturing photographs. If the subject (people or animal) see the photographer while they are taking photographs the subject may change their actions, changing the authenticity of the photograph. With this opinion in mind I  believe that Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado have the better journalistic approaches. 

Press Photography Verses Art Photography

The main difference between art photography and press photography is that the moment is created in art photography instead of captured like that of press photography. When it comes to art photography, at least in the photos I have chosen to share with you, taken by Patrick Demarchelier they have been set up to create beautiful, captivating, and powerful images. They are a work of art because they have been created by a mind. 

Woman and Child - Patrick Demarchelier

Head Dress - Patrick Demarchelier

In contrast to art photography, press photography have been captured in a moment, the photographer has to go out looking for something to photograph as apposed to creating something to photograph. The press photographs I have chosen to share with you are some of the Toronto Star’s collection of Toronto’s G20 Summit. These photos are extremely strong, powerful and captivating. They fill you will emotions and take you to a place where you can imagine being there. 

Police/Public Stand Off (G20 Summit) - Toronto Star Staff 

Police Car on Fire (G20 Summit) - Toronto Star Staff

Some similarities between the art and press photography I have chosen is that they both create a mood, whatever that mood may be.  Both press and art photography can be beautiful, powerful, captivating or vulgar. In this case all the images are powerful, unique and send a message, like all photography should. Another similarity between the types of photographs is that they both involve the subject matter of humanity, using people to capture a mood, or moment, or situation. 

To contrast some differences in the art photography of Patrick Demarchelier and the press photography of the Toronto Star’s G20 Summit are that Demarchelier’s photos are simple, clean, black and white, contained and focused. While the Toronto Star’s photos of the G20 Summit are crowed, complicated, coloured, violent and make the viewer aware of the space. The viewer can feel the crowd and anger in the photo.  

 

Sources (Ideas):

Kertesz Cartier - Bresson From Shooting The Truth Gordana Iccevska Pg 6 Paragraph 2

Kertesz Cartier - Bresson From Shooting The Truth Gordana Iccevska Pg 13 Paragraph 1, (Montier, 1996, p.143)