Mood Photos and Critique

Photo Assignment 3: Mood and Photo Manipulation

Our task for this assignment was to shoot 2 images, each with a companion altered image. I shot a lot of potential images and finally settled on two that seemed to offer a contrast in moods.

American Siesta

My first original image, a cozy inviting study of my bed, is amassed with pillows and a colorful throw blanket. In the foreground is a book for reading with my glasses cast off to the side. It is a shot with warm lighting and tones. The altered image of this set, captioned American Siesta, includes the superimposed nude subject from the cover of the book on the bed, Insatiable by Gael Greene.

Innocence in the Garden of Good and Evil                                                                                   

The second original image is shot one bright and clear afternoon in the garden of a local art gallery. There are statues and brass pieces about the garden, and I selected a brass statue of a young girl with a large gazebo in the background. In the altered photo, the caption, Innocence in the Garden of Good and Evil depicts the young girl possessed with the garden’s bad omen. I wasn’t able to manipulate the image the way I would have liked, it was less than stellar.

In class it was agreed that the first set, American Siesta, is my best. The original image in the second set, Innocence in the Garden of Good and Evil has issues with focus and clarity; the manipulated image is actually clearer than the original.

What Spain Sees in Capa’s Civil War Photo

Extra Credit Review
In his article, Geoff Pingree of Time Magazine examines the circumstances surrounding Spain’s reaction to noted photographer Robert Capa’s work that was on exhibition in Barcelona’s Museu d’Art de Catalunya.

There has been considerable debate regarding the reality of Capa's most noted 1936 Spanish Civil War image, The Fallen Soldier. Questions were flying as to whether the image had been staged; or whether it had been shot at the location that many regarded as the actual site of the conflict.

As Pingee further investigates the controversy, he suggests that perhaps none of these arguments are truly what the Spanish are protesting. Instead, he believes the Spanish resent the 22-year old American’s portrayal of such a revered point in Spain's history at all. Instead, perhaps the Spanish want to interpret, or even re-construct their own history.

Juggling Journalism and Humanism

Article #6 Review
This was another challenging discussion on ethics in photojournalism. The article begins with the uproar over a 1989 image from the Louisville Courier-Journal showing the bloody massacre-style shooting and suicide of an angry employee.

Based on the 1989 incident, the article outlines the six major philosophies that are typical in an ethical debate of this nature:

1. The Categorical Imperative
At that time there was a great amount of discussion regarding the ownership of automatic weapons and the larger issue of gun control. It contributed to our national debate.

2. Newsworthiness
The editor believed the image highly newsworthy; that it had to be run.

3. The Utilitarian Philosophy
The public is served by the image; both sides can identify with this approach.  Either the editor who uses this image to confront readers with the result of their choices, or the family members who loose loved ones.

4. The Golden Mean Position
This suggests that another less gruesome image may have accomplished the same end; that the image was in bad taste and not necessary.

5. The Veil of Ignorance
Hiding behind public outrage is often a convenient way of not facing the truth.

6. The Hedonistic Argument
There are those that believe the purpose in running such images is simply to sell papers.

As this article emphasizes, the reaction to an image depends on one's ethical orientation. The photojournalist’s responsibility is to tell the truth with objectivity and newsworthiness. It is the public’s responsibility to speak up and ask for accountability from the press.

The article outlines a recommended Code of Ethics for Photojournalists that should be utilized and agreed up by all members:

1. No photojournalist will intentionally add to a victim’s grief for monetary or award-winning gains.

2. No photojournalist will intentionally violate a person’s privacy for monetary or award winning gains.

3. No photojournalist will intentionally stage or manipulate images.

4. No editor will mandate forced contest participation by a photojournalist.

5. No editor will assign a project that conflict with a photojournalist’s own ethics.

I expressly like the position stated that the goal of photojournalism ethics is not to make right and wrong rules. In dealing with humanity this line seems to always be in motion; like aiming at a moving target. Rather, the goal is to set up acceptable ways of evaluating a photographer’s actions. Then, the ethical arguments may begin.

The Merger of Photojournalism and Ethics

Article #5 Review
We begin with a brief historic background of photojournalism and learn that photography has been around for 150 years. Life magazine, highly involved in the rise of photojournalism, recently devoted its cover and 30 pages to an anniversary tribute. We follow the trail of photojournalism and its emergence as a respected profession.

It has been proven that since the early day of photography, manipulation has taken place. Furthermore, it has been revealed that many noted photographers altered images that were considered accurate and truthful depictions of  particular events.

The article delves into the ethics behind the decisions made by a photographer, and notes that intentionally altering images in a news story to distort the message should be grounds for dismissal. Unfortunately, other issues of ethics may not be that obvious, and photographers face daily choices in the process of covering the news.

There are times when the camera is considered invasive, as well as occasions when the decision to shoot a truthful image may be controversial—based on the audience’s perspectives. Clearly, as journalists, our responsibility is to report the news fairly and honestly. When we allow public opinion and bias to affect of choices too greatly our ethical duty to provide accurate information may be compromised, and we may lessen our ability to maintain a free and vibrant press.

On NPR this morning, there was a great interview with Harold Evans, famed British editor of the Sunday Times. He tells the story of the thalidomide controversy that his paper covered in 1967. He elected to show photos of babies with missing limbs and other severe birth defects. The public was abhorred and the paper was involved in lawsuits for years, regarding the paper's right to publish the photos. The case ultimately went to the European Court of Human Rights and the case forced the British government to reform its law that blocked free speech in cases of "manifest injustice."  Evans fought for the truth to the very end. 

In terms of ethics in journalism Evans commented, "I think a certain commitment to the public good has vanished in the race for circulation. I think that is accentuated when you get newspapers taken over, as you have across America, by people who either borrow extensively to buy the paper, or never had any interest in what real journalism is about in the first place.”

Fire in Pakistan and Crocs in China

Weekly Image Review, #5

Pakistan Fire












This heart-wrenching image of destruction in Pakistan depicts an apocalyptic scene of devastation and ruin. The photo shows a distraught young man being consoled by a robed gentleman. Behind them, there is a structure fully engulfed in flames and the ground is littered with debris.

As we discussed in class, the young student-aged male subject, could be emblematic of the likely college student target audience.

The back-story, which gives the image international interest, is that the Pakistani government closed many universities the previous week due to student activism again the military. The image generates feelings of agony and complete despair.



Crocodile display at Sam’s Club in China (extra credit)












This image is a great human-interest photo of a Sam’s Club fish department in China featuring crocodiles crawling out of the ice—surrounded by a wide assortment of other fresh fish. The formidable crocs have been attractively presented with colorful grapefruit propped in their open mouths, as if this would make them sell faster.

Of course, the viewer has to wonder who buys these lovely creatures? No doubt there is a demand, but I couldn’t help wonder how much meat might be usable on these skinny little guys, since they appear to be mostly prickly skin and bone.

We eat snake, so why not crocodile? Its larger cousin, the alligator, is highly prized bar food in Florida. So what’s the big deal?

Emotions, Photos and Critique

Photo Assignment 2:  Emotions

I spent a couple of afternoons at the kiddyland in the Gateway Mall photographing kids. I thought it would be a fun and fairly simple project to take images of 2 to 5 year olds at play. Of course, I was mistaken.

Scary Mirror Sisters

To begin with, I was a little intimidated about approaching strangers and asking if could photograph their kids. I was not completely surprised by the negative reactions of some parents and grandparents when I asked if it was ok to take their photos as part of a Photojournalism shooting assignment at Lane. Fortunately, early on, a woman that had taken a similar class at Lane said of course it was alright. This seemed to break the ice on my first outing; as parents and kids arrived, they followed suit.

The play area is bright and cheerful, there is a skylight overhead and there are plenty of inviting objects--a colorful slide, a bridge for climbing, a small boat to sit in, and there are large hanging games scattered about to encourage motor development. My favorite was a wiggly mirror, which distorted their bodies and made them laugh.

Joyful First Slide

Half way through my first afternoon a cute little 2-year old girl arrived with her mom. Her haunting blue eyes seemed to take in everything around her. The mom gave me permission to shoot photos of her daughter, and actually assisted me, as she tottered about and played. After the shoot, I shared my results and the mom asked if I would email her the photos. I agreed, and when I returned home that evening I sent them on to her email address, which also included her husband’s name—and thanked her again.

Early the following morning I received an email from the mom; she regretted her decision, and requested that I destroy all images. I was stunned and shocked, since this was completely opposite her attitude the previous day. I responded assuring her that I would do as she wished. The episode left me feeling creepy, as if I had done something wrong, and I was disheartened by the entire project.

Howling Dog
However, I still needed more shots and returned to kiddyland the following day to complete my assigned shoot. Again, parents were generally receptive and we laughed and enjoyed ourselves as I interacted with their children. I finished my shoot, but still felt unsettled by the entire experience.

I shared my concerns with my instructor and was re-assured that I had done nothing wrong. It was clearly about a domestic issue that I need not concern myself. In class, as part of the critique process, it was agreed that the wiggly mirror image was the best, the other two selections were very generic. I completely agree. It’s hard to take a bad photo of kids; the challenge is getting the exceptional one.

As usual, the assignment was a great learning experience. I learned about using the light to my advantage and selecting appropriate settings that work well with kids. My take away from this challenge was more of a social commentary.  It's very sad that children must live such controlled existences. Playing is no longer about going outside unattended, riding bikes, and exploring the great outdoors. Playing is now relegated to Kiddyland at the Mall—and don’t talk to strangers while you are there.

Faking Images in Photojournalism

Article #4 Review
Paul Martin Lester reviews the history of photo fakery and cites various flagrant acts of manipulation since the early days of photography. In those days, even if the photographer did not reveal alterations, the original was often still available proof.

In the era of computer technology, there may be no original record of alteration, so it is difficult to prove that manipulation has taken place. Lester reminds the reader that justifications to alter an image do not change the fact that the image has been changed. Reality has been altered. The photographer or publisher that runs a manipulated image faces the risk of loosing public credibility.

In Lester's view, there are five key areas that are of greatest concern to most photojournalists regarding ethics in photojournalism:

Victims of Violence
As discussed in class, timing and appropriateness of images should be taken into consideration, but it’s the responsibility of the journalist to explain as Lester says, “underlying social forces that cause such tragic events to occur.” Often economic value wins in the battle of ethics over entertainment.

Picture Manipulation
Even though a publication may offer disclosure for an altered photo, the question always comes back to: where do we draw the line, or when is it ok to lie? When is it art and, when is it news? It seems that intent of the photographer is a key factor. Ultimately, the photographer may loose control over where the image appears. His intent may be completely lost and a new interpretation may become the new reality.

Stereotyping
As journalists it is our responsibility to be aware of cultural biases. An image may have a sub-conscious effect on a viewer – based on inaccurate conditioned assumptions that we carry of a particular gro.

Advertising/Editorial Blurring
An infomercial may appear informative and educational, but it is still a form of advertising with journalistic qualities-- another area of blurring the editorial line. We run the risk, again, of loosing the credibility of our viewers when we send out inconsistent messages.

Right to Privacy
Sensationalism and greed tend to invade the lives of “public personalities.” The act of providing an image at any cost can completely overshadow the importance of fairness and accuracy.

The 1946 Hutchins Commission provided a definition of news that still makes sense: “A truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent account of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning.