ethics in photojournalism. what is photojournalism? the profession in which journalists make...
TRANSCRIPT
What is Photojournalism?
the profession in which journalists make news-editorial images for print and screen (television and computer) media
Photojournalist’s job is to:◦Record what is happening with truthful,
honest, and clear photos◦Move the world to action◦Bring out emotions of their audience
Why does ethics come into play?
Because photojournalism is so competitive, they must try to top each other every time.
They must try to take the photo that will evoke the most emotion and generate the most conversation.
This can sometimes lead to images being edited/distorted to change the content in hopes of having the best photo
4different types of ethical concerns in Photojournalism
Victims of ViolencePicture ManipulationStereotypingAdvertising/editorial blurring
Victims of ViolenceWhen do they need to step in
and help?They must decide which is better:
long-term help vs. short- term help
It is part of their job to capture violence and expose it, but at what point do they cross an ethical line?
Right to PrivacyLaws protect people from over
exposure of the media, however the lines are blurry
At what point is trying to get a photo of a family whose son has recently been kidnapped going too far?
Those lines are also very different for ordinary people and celebrities
What is exploiting a family/person in distress and what is trying to get their face out there for the public to see?
Picture ManipulationWith the switch to digital photography and
computer technology has allowed for the rapid increase of picture manipulation in photojournalism
It has become common practice to edit, enhance, and combine photos to make the best picture possible
If photos are manipulated in any way there must be a note in the article or the photo information, however most people don’t read these and take the picture as real.
What subtle difference do you see?What kind of problems might this cause?
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Missile Launch
Manipulated Photo Original
StereotypeIt is easier and quicker for a
photojournalist to take a photo of an angry African American in the middle of a riot in a large city than it is search for a photo that shows the underlying social issue causing the riot.
Advertising/editorial BlurringIn a world full of advertising images,
editors and advertising companies are always trying to push the envelope to gain attention.
These companies have started using pictures taken for news stories and using them to sell products
They do this in hopes of using the photojournalism credibility to convince you and sell their product.
Now it’s your turn…Is this ethical?
This photo sparked a lot of talk. Using the terms we talked about today, why might it have been unethical to publish this?
Now it’s your turn…Is this ethical?
This photo sparked a lot of talk. Using the terms we talked about today, why might it have been unethical to publish this?
Now it’s your turn…Is this ethical?
This photo sparked a lot of talk. Using the terms we talked about today, why might it have been unethical to publish this?