OBA's Photography: March 2010

Monday, March 29, 2010

Alterations in Journalistic Photography

In today’s world, the main impact of photo alterations on journalistic photography can be very misleading and can portray an untruthful message towards the public. Whether it’s photographs being published in the newspaper or images being broadcasted on national television, altering a photo is unethical. Sarasota Herald of Herald-Tribune mentions that, “The power of documentary photography is based on the fact that real moments are captured as they happen. Anything done to alter the process, before or after the image is recorded, diminishes that power and turns it into a lie.” (Poynter Online) Journalistic photography also refers to journalism. In order to prove if an event had occurred, photojournalists capture still images to tell a story. Thus, any photo alterations can result in altering an individuals thoughts and show disbelief in society towards journalism.

In some cases, altering photos on journalistic photography is only done to improve the quality of certain images. It is mandatory for traditional photojournalists to follow these guidelines (St.Petersburg Times):

1. Adjustments to any image will be limited to standard industry "dodging and burning" practices to accurately reflect the scene which was photographed.
2. No colors will be altered from the original scene photographed. This includes excessive changes in density and saturation levels.
3. Backgrounds cannot be eliminated ("burned down") or aggressively toned under any circumstance.
4. All original digital images must be downloaded into Pix Box for editing or review if necessary. When transmitting on location, original files will be downloaded upon return. All printouts for editing will be from original digital camera files.
5. Cloning (rubber stamp tool in Photoshop) can only be used as a touch up tool for excessive dust or other imperfections.
6. All photos prepared for contests will follow the Observer's photo correction guidelines and should be toned as originally corrected by the photographer.
7. Photo illustrations are the only format where our correction guidelines do not need to be followed. The image must clearly be an illustration (not confused with a documentary image) and labeled photo illustration.
8. Backgrounds of an image will not be dropped out or cloned without the specific approval of a photo editor during the page design process. These images should be bylined as photo illustrations.

To insure accuracy of the image before readers view the photographs, it’s the publisher’s responsibility to not mislead people about the many events and stories. Shifting from reality to fiction will not only confuse the public, but will lose integrity over journalistic photography. Therefore, manipulating journalistic photographs should be strictly prohibited.

Past Photo Manipulation Issues

In the photos below, shows Nikolai Yezhov present in the original photo. Stalin has this photo retouched later on for propaganda purposes, which longer portrayed Yezhov's presence. Nikolai Yezhov was shot in 1940.

Kliment Voroshilov, Vyacheslav Molotov, Stalin and Nikolai Yezhov at the shore of the Moskwa-Wolga-Channel. After Yezhow was tried and executed he vanished between 1939-1991 from this image. (1937)
Photo Credit: Unknown

In the photos below, Taiwan's newspaper Liberty Times published a photo removing Wang Shaw-lan from the original. After being questioned about the "unethical" edited photo, they said she was "not an essential presence" and in order to shrink the picture for "better display".

A photo with Wang Shaw-lan present, third from left. Francis Chang, chairman of Franz Collection Inc., is shown between Wang and Pope Benedict. (2008)
Photo Credit: Franz CollectionSources:
Photo manipulation
Journalism
Photography Schools: A Brief History of Photo Tampering Throughout History
St. Petersburg Times Guidelines to Publishing Photographs
Image Act Theory

Thursday, March 25, 2010

DB 11 - Presentation Week 11: Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson versus Smith and Salgado

Everything is a subject. Every subject has a rhythm. To feel it is the raison detre. The photograph is a fixed moment of such a raison detre, which lives on in itself. - Andre Kertesz

Behind the Gare Saint Lazare, 1932

To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Behind the Gare St. Lazare (1932)
Photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson

What are the main differences and similarities?

The difference between the two different types of photographers is that Andre Kertesz & Henri Cartier are both "invisible" while taking photos whereas Eugene Smith & Sebastiao Salgado are not. Being visible changes the meaning of the photo as it does not portray true feelings, emotions, gestures, of the person being photographed. Kertesz & Cartier-Bresson restrict themselves from manipulating their photos, whereas Smith & Salgado do not. They take their photos in the darkroom instead during the post production process to change the lightening, quality, etc. to bring out the untruthful meaning they believe in. A story which they form from their own point of view, where as Smith & Cartier-Bresson portray the true story and leave the picture as it is.

The similarities between all photographers is that they wanted to portray a story in all of their photos. Wether it was portraying an truthful story or not, they had a meaning in every photo they took. They did not have any limits as to what they wanted to photograph, wether it was life, or events that occurred around them. Their names became popular in the photojournalism, and as a result, their all successful.

I've never made any picture, good or bad, without paying for it in emotional turmoil. - Eugene Smith

The Walk to Paradise Garden Photo by Eugene Smith

It’s not the photographer who makes the picture, but the person being photographed. - Sebastiao Salgado

Firefigters at Work
Photo by Sebastiao Salgado

What’s the better journalistic approach?

Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson definitely have a better journalistic approach. Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson's main goal was to capture photos of reality and send a meaningful and honest message along with their photographs. They were both invisible while taking photos to capture truthful life experiences of people. As a result, they showed no interaction with the audience and believed in being as quite as possible when capturing photographic shots. The society wants to know the truth, and they only way to find out the truth is if the photographer documents reality which will not be altered before publishing. Photojournalists have to play an important role, so they must follow the code of ethics of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). Photo manipulation is stritctly prohibited and unethical during the post production process using a dark room or Photoshop (digital editing program) because altering photos can portray a complete different meaning of the photo and the viewers thoughts.

Sources:
Andre Kertesz's Quote
Henri Cartier-Bresson's Quote
Eugene Smith's Quote
Sebastiao Salgado's Quote
Week 10 Course Slides - Capturing the moment: Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson
Week 11 - Presenting the moment: Eugene Smith and Sebastiao Salgado

Friday, March 19, 2010

Press Photography Versus Art Photography

News photography teaches you to think fast. - Weegee

Sidney Crosby celebrates his game-winning goal in overtime Sunday, giving
Canada the gold medal with a 3-2 victory over the U.S. in Vancouver, B.C.
Photo by Chris O'Meara/The Associated Press

Prime Minister Stephen Harper greets U.S. President Barack Obama
upon his arrival on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb 19, 2009.
Photo by Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press

Press photography has been around for years. Everyday, we come across press photography in the media, whether we’re reading the newspaper, flipping through magazines, checking out blog sites, surfing the Internet or watching television. The two photos I posted above are photographs that have been headlined in the news within the past year. The first photo was (taken by Chris O'Meara) on February 28, 2010 when Sidney Crosby of Team Canada scored the game-winning goal during overtime beating Team USA and winning the gold medal in hockey during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. This was a major event that occurred in Canada, where all media and television broadcasters had gathered to take photographs or footage of the most anticipated hockey game during the Olympics. By looking at this image, viewers can say that Sydney Crosby’s facial expression, gestures, and position portrays a victorious moment in time. The second image (taken by Fred Chartrand) is of Prime Minister Stephen Harper greeting President Barack Obama when he visited Parliament Hill in Ottawa on February 19, 2009. This was also another special moment in time, because it was the first time when the newly elected president visited Canada to talk about the economy and other future plans with the prime minister. Press photographs are photos of events that occur at a certain time. Once the opportunity passes by for the photographer to take a certain shot, it will never come back. The images are usually in the public's eye within a short period of time, to show an event occured the day before or the day of. The raw images are never edited or altered, because they’re taken to show evidence, which a certain event actually occurred on this day and time. For example, if a photographer changed the background of the second photo and cropped out the Canadian Mountie standing behind (in the middle), it is not longer considered a press photograph. Photojournalists are required to follow the NPPA Code of Ethics and portray truthful accurate images to the public when publishing and broadcasting photos. If images are altered, it can change the public’s thought process.

I am a perfectionist. When I take a picture...it's gotta be good - Weegee

Matching Socks
Photo by Jeff Harris

60 Watt Bug
Photo by Hamnah Asif

Art photography has influenced many photographers to create their own vision during the photo-taking process. Although, art photography is quite different from all other types of photography such as press, commercial, fashion, they all have the same goal, which is to “get the viewer to buy the image.” Make the viewer believe in the photo and reflect certain thoughts in their minds. The first art photo above taken by an inspirational Toronto photographer (who is currently fighting cancer) Jeff Harris and shows him doing laundry matching different pairs of socks. The image does not portray a main event that cannot be published in the news, but instead it’s from the photographer’s point of view. Jeff Harris can go take the exact same shot a couple days later if he wanted too. My sister Hamnah Asif took the second photo above, when a lady bug was in her bedroom on the lamp. From her perspective, she felt that this was an interesting shot to see nature on something we use in our modern day life, light. Artful photographs can be taken at different times and can have their own headlines, unlike press photographs. The photos can be altered and edited using Photoshop, because they do not have to prove any event or topic, but instead change the viewers thinking. Many different art photographers will have millions of ideas and visions in their mind, but press photographers will have similar ideas between one and other.

Press photography and Art photography have a few similarities. Both types of photography can be of anything. Whether it’s of people, nature, landscape, buildings, fashion, etc. Both photographers are able to create a vision and goal of what they’re trying to capture to portray to the audience. The photos are realistic and meaningful for the viewer.

Sources:
Sidney Crosby's overtime goal gives Canada Olympic gold in a 3-2 victory over the U.S.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper greets U.S. President Barack Obama
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)
Wegee Quotes
Week 10 Course Slides - Capturing the moment: Kertesz and Cartier-Bresson
Fine Art Photography

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Shooting the truth: Photojournalism

What's the role of photo journalism?
The role and idea of photojournalism originates from journalism. Journalism involves reporting events by written words. Whereas photojournalism involves portraying accurate news through photos, by collecting many images, then editing the images and broadcasting them in the media, including newspapers, magazines, books, or television. This is a visually effective way to portray a meaningful story behind the image. Timelessness (to portray a meaning behind recent events), objectivity (to insure the images are official and represented accurately) and narrative (by combining facts to give viewers and readers a better understanding) are the key objectives that help distinguish photojournalism from other types of photography that exist today such as documentary, street, or celebrity photography.

Are there rules that photojournalists should follow? Why? Why not?
Yes, there are rules that photojournalists should follow. In Gordana S. Icevska’s essasy “Shooting the truth: How Photographers In The Media Betray Us”, it states the Code of Ethics of the National Press Photographers Association.

Here are a set of rules photojournalists and people who manage news production should follow on a daily basis:
1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
4. 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.
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

The points listed above are just a set of guidelines that all photojournalists should follow. At the end of the day, it’s the photojournalist's responsibility to ensure timelessness, objectivity and narrative.

Is the ethics of taking journalistic photos different than the ethics of writing a news story?
Taking journalistic photos and writing a news story follow a similar set of guidelines. However, they both have a different publishing and broadcasting process before headlining news to the media. When a journalistic photo is taken, the photographer takes the photo, and then needs to ensure that the image is not altered after, but only enhanced (ex. changing brightness, contrast) and still portray its original meaning. When a news story is written, the process involves an individual writing a story, then proof reading it numerous times, changing any grammar or spelling mistakes, and then publishing it in the media for the public to read or view.

What's the impact of altering press photographs? Should they be edited (at all) in postproduction?
Altering press photographs should not be allowed because it can change the viewer’s perception and can impact the society in many ways. Photographs can be altered to a certain extent, and depending on its use of purpose, these changes can be very limited. Taking someone out of the photo, or placing someone in the photo, changing the background or structures, altering facial expressions and features, are all examples of alteration which are strictly prohibited as stated in the list of guidelines all photo journalists should follow. As mentioned before, only limited alteration should be done in postproduction which includes changing the brightness, contrast, etc. just to improve the quality of the image.

Photography by Famous Photojournalists