Journal Topic 3

There has been an impact of photo alterations on journalistic photography because most argue that it is unethical to change photographs especially press photographs for the reason of misleading. Pictures tell the public a story if we change the photo we are misleading the audience to believe what we want them to believe. I also do think that photography alterations on journalistic photos are unethical for the reason that press photos are meant to tell the truth not half of the truth.
The following are two examples of photographs that have been altered and have caused controversies.
There was the New York Times who had a photo of soldiers in Iraq gazing upward at a member of the Purrfect Angelz dance group in Iraq. Critics were suspicious because it looks as tho the cord has disappeared. (Irby) When it come to stories about the war critics are more critical because it is a sensitive subject. The public wants to know what is really going on especially on topics that affect them or their country.

Photographer: Jim Wilson



Then there is the controversial photo manipulation of 1982 where National Geographic cover was featuring Egypt. The editors photographically moved two Egyptian pyramids closer together so that they would fit on a vertical cover. This case triggered a debate about photo manipulation in journalism; the argument against editing was that the magazine depicted something that did not exist, and presented it as fact. Robert Gilka, was the former director of photography at National Geographic magazine.




References

Irby, Kenneth. "Photojournalism in the age of Scrutiny." PoynterOnline. Poynter, 2006. Web. 23 Mar 2010.


http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/faking.html