Assignment Three Module Number Nine: Shooting the Truth; Photojournalism

Introductory

For this assignment, my team Rafael Cabrera, Asia Steel and I Atekel Mclarty had come to an agreement that we would like to complete module number nine. Module number nine focuses on Photojournalism, and the roles of a photojournalist. Journalistic photos help communicate words and events through still image. Below you will find the information my team and I have gathered on photojournalism and shooting the truth.

 All photos gathered By: Atekel Mclarty

What’s the role of photojournalism? 

Written and Submitted By: Rafael E. Cabrera 

A photojournalist's job is to tell a story with pictures. But, perhaps more importantly, his goal is to convey the truth through the images he captures with his camera. A skilled photojournalist doesn't just show up to a news event and snap a few pictures. Rather, his objective is to highlight important issues. Remarkably, he can often do so with a single photograph.

Are there rules that photojournalists should follow? 

Written and Submitted By: Asia Steel 

In the world of photojournalism, the artist is striving to find truth rather than art. They are giving us images to bring us a glimpse of what the world is like, not as we see it around us. So having an ethical conscience is important as to not lie or create fiction in photographic journalism. Some companies have tried to create limits or guidelines to how much editing or framing the artist can give their audience. Some believe there should be a set number of regulations to decide what images are appropriate for journalism, others believe that the artist should have final say in what they have printed and they can regulate themselves ethically. Additionally some companies have specific regulations for photographers for security purposes, but how many regulations are too far? With journalism, the issue of having free speech comes into question when an artist is limited in what they can print. The key to photojournalism ethics is above all, avoiding misrepresentation.

 Several organizations strive to create sets of guidelines for artists, in order to create an unbiased system for photojournalism. The NPPA, National Press Photographers Association, is an organization of photojournalists that gives some regulations to their art. This company is dedicated to the advancement of photojournalism without losing their ethics. They also aid photojournalists by discussing photography regulations between journalists and private companies who have security issues with some things being photographed. An example of a ‘rule’ in the NPPA’s code of ethics is “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.” (NPPA, 2012) As well as other ‘rules’ to simply avoid misrepresentation and biases. All seem to rely on the common sense and persona ethics of the artist, so these guidelines are rather simple to follow if the artist wants to be a reputable source of photo-journalistic images.

 
While some organizations have limits on photojournalists, their ideas do not encompass all photographers or publications. For example, a genre of publication that is not frequently ‘policed’ is the tabloid. Some of which are notorious for their inaccurate misrepresentations of the truth. “It [tabloid media] allegedly panders to the lowest common denominator of public taste… in short, tabloid journalism lowers the standards of public discourse”, (Biressi, 2007). The ethics are so vague in their representations of politicians and celebrities, as well as some examples of poorly edited journalistic photographs leaves much to be desired if given no outstanding guidelines to photojournalists. “The status of photojournalism has risen, noting the artistic values and authority that have been attached to the photographic news… In contrast, this elevation excludes the work of tabloid press where a different set of values and indeed aesthetics prevails”, (Biressi, 2007).

In conclusion, photojournalism as a form of art is in a grey area of regulations. We do not want distorted images that show us only fiction, but alternatively too many regulations can lead to limiting the idea of free speech for the artist. As a news source, the artist must be ethical and aware of any biases they might hold towards their subjects. In the long run in may be useful to have an umbrella of regulations on the artist but in our society today, we expect images to have been edited and subjects to be airbrushed. So why dictate how they choose to frame their art.

Is the ethics of taking journalistic photos different than the ethics of writing a news story? 

Written and Submitted By: Atekel Mclarty 

Photojournalism is the art of allowing news or information to be collected from a single photo. Journalistic photos tell a story from first glace. These types of photos are usually taken for news or magazine articles. News stories consist of any kind of news report. News stories are often short and concise (even though there are no limitations to how long a new story can be). News stories update readers on occurring events, along side events that have already occurred. Therefore the ethics of taking journalistic photos are different but somewhat the same as the ethics of writing a news story.

Photo-journalistic images carry journals that tell stories to the attentive audience. These images are taken to give viewers the best description of the occurring event. News stories are similar in a fact because they also tell stories to the available audience. All in all they both deliver a message. It is believed that journalistic photographers take on a bigger role than news story writers. Journalistic photographers have to allow readers/viewers to see, feel, and relate to the images they have taken. Journalistic photographers also have to ensure that the audience is able to make out a story, or take a message from the images presented. On the other hand, news story writers have to inform readers about news reports through written text. Once news stories are formally delivered and clear, readers will understand what is going on throughout the article/story. News stories consist of context only to give information to the existing audience, while journalistic photos consist of photos only to help the viewer gather information from the descriptive images. In conclusion the ethics of taking journalistic photos are different but fairly the same as the ethics of writing a news story.

Attached is the NPPA Code of Ethics, provided by Asia Steel

Code of Ethics

Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:

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.

Ideally, visual journalists should:

1. Strive to ensure that the public's business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
2. Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.
3. Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own journalistic independence.
5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
7. Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

©2012
https://nppa.org/code_of_ethics

Work cited

Biressi, A. (2008). The tabloid culture reader. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.

Icevska, G. S. SHOOTING THE TRUTH: HOW PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE MEDIA BETRAY           US. Ma thesis. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from             https://drive.google.com/viewerng/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbW   FpbnxzaG9vdGluZ

NPPA Code of Ethics. (2012). National Press Photographers Association. Retrieved October 26,             

N.d. Unesco.org. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/images/Themes/investigative_journalism_home.jpg>.

N.d. Daveandcharlotte.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.daveandcharlotte.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dave-trying-to-look-like-a-war-photographer-or-get-a-case-of-tetnis.jpg>.

N.d. Wordpress.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://garykingphotography.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/blog-illustration.jpg>.

N.d. Blogspot.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3q3Cmv9obdwNwkMsLaOLy3Aj7aSANPKWwccVMO6LhUnp1iCquOB6iXnFUO1fF8T9vLPnrTOglfINYWguq7fUa1q52CfKckwwxiJpyMC7GZwEcHge1eXBXEECAKgT0RpFdZh2M5kZsqobi/s1600/6a00d8341bf6cb53ef010535c02df5970b-800wi.jpg>.

N.d. Independent.co.uk. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.independent.co.uk/migration_catalog/article5316949.ece/alternates/w620/Pg-02-feature.jpeg>.

N.d. Jmg-galleries.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog_images/bad_photographer_MG_0801-Edit_500c.jpg>.

N.d. Collegerag.net. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.collegerag.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Photo-Journalism.jpg>.

N.d. Vladsokhin.com. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.vladsokhin.com/assets/images/tearsheets/ts_14.jpg>.

Also all readings from lecture notes.