ethics in photojournalism

Ethics in Photojournalism

What are the goals of photojournalism?

Convey a story?Factual depiction?

Clearly explains the subject?

Current state of affairs?

Objective?

NPPA Code of Ethics

http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html

Ethics in Photojournalism

Case Studies:

Photo processingPhoto manipulationTragic subjectsReporting bias

Case studies in ethics: Photo processing

After O.J. Simpson’s arrest on murder chargers, both Newsweek and Time ran articles with Simpson’s mugshot

Case studies in ethics: Photo processing

In 2003, Patrick Schneider was fired over his processing of photos

Case studies in ethics: Photo processing

Newsweek ran a cropped version of the image as an editorial cover: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/essay-9/?hp

Case studies in ethics: Photo manipulation

National Geographic compressed this image of the Pyramids to fit it onto their 1982 cover

Case studies in ethics: Photo manipulation

LA Times ran the top photo by Brian Walski. It was a composite of two separate photos (bottom)

Case studies in ethics: Photo manipulation

Allan Detrich was fired for his modified photo, in which he removed a pair of legs

Case studies in ethics: Photo manipulationQuestions to ask:

• What are we allowed to adjust?• What can we definitely not adjust?• Where is the line drawn?• Tool-based?• Change in image content?• Intent?

• Different standards for type of publication?

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

Robert Kennedy moments after being shot by assassin Sirhan Sirhan

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

A woman and her child fall from a collapsed fire escape in Boston. The child survived the fall; the woman did not.

A man jumps from the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

The family of Edward Romero grieves over his body – the 5-year-old Romero died in an accidental drowning

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

Kevin Carter took this image of a starving child in Sudan

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

In this Reuters image, a man discards bodies of victims in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake

Case studies in ethics: Tragic subjects

Questions to ask:• Are graphic images appropriate?• Should they be handled specially?• Depend on the publication audience?

• Taking photos while someone is in need?• Taking photos while someone is in need, but not being able to help anyway?• Privacy intrustion into victims?• Benefits of publicizing tragedy?

• Is it an editorial decision?

Case studies in ethics: Bias

A US national receives medical treatment during the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake

Case studies in ethics: Bias

In 2000, NY Times ran this image of a supposed Palestinian, with the implication that the Israeli policeman had beat him. The victim was in fact a Jewish student, who had been beaten by Arabs.

Case studies in ethics: Bias

President George W. Bush holds a turkey during Thanksgiving dinner at a base in Iraq. The turkey was a decorative centerpiece, and not edible. Food was actually served on cafeteria-style steam trays.

Case studies in ethics: Bias

Arthur Rothstein moved the skull from its original position (right) and onto a dryer flat area (left), in a photo series documenting drought conditions in South Dakota.

Case studies in ethics: Bias

Lebanese air raid photo op:http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2006/07/milking-it.html

Case studies in ethics: Bias

Avoid bias:• Fully research cutline info• Fully disclose all relevant info• Avoid sensationalism• Avoid staged photos, by yourself and by subjects• Moving objects around?