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?