Ethics in Photojournalism
FA 1041 Black & White Photography
12/18/2012
Ethics in Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a way of telling a story that can often be more effective than a 1,000-word article. The images that are captured can change the emotions quite vividly of those who are viewing the picture. The best photojournalists will not only capture an image that tells the story, but the images also have to be aesthetically pleasing, include some action and take in emotion. Photojournalists take their images from interesting angles, and they provide depth of field that catches the eye of those who are viewing it. But there is more to being a photojournalists than just a storyteller and an artist, they also have to decide when taking a photo is going too far, and when it is necessary to telling a story. The artistic elements only scratch the surface of the complexities of being effective photojournalists. These storytellers must look out for touchy subjects and taste, and they look to balance effective journalism with good taste.
Ethics is a major part of journalism. The images are extremely powerful, as they get to a lot of people and are responsible for shaping culture in various ways. The types of judgment calls that occur with photojournalism are represented through images such as those that were captured when people jumped off the side of the World Trade Centre when the building was on fire after the terrorist attacks. Other tough calls include the Vietnam war, when a naked girl walked down the street covered in napalm. These images have been burned into the minds of so many people throughout the world and they are all because of one horrifying look. Some of these photos are so powerful that they can change the way a society views a situation, such as the way the public viewed the war in Vietnam. It may have even ended the war due to the growing opposition to it. Photojournalism is an extremely powerful tool. “Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose
12/18/2012
Ethics in Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a way of telling a story that can often be more effective than a 1,000-word article. The images that are captured can change the emotions quite vividly of those who are viewing the picture. The best photojournalists will not only capture an image that tells the story, but the images also have to be aesthetically pleasing, include some action and take in emotion. Photojournalists take their images from interesting angles, and they provide depth of field that catches the eye of those who are viewing it. But there is more to being a photojournalists than just a storyteller and an artist, they also have to decide when taking a photo is going too far, and when it is necessary to telling a story. The artistic elements only scratch the surface of the complexities of being effective photojournalists. These storytellers must look out for touchy subjects and taste, and they look to balance effective journalism with good taste.
Ethics is a major part of journalism. The images are extremely powerful, as they get to a lot of people and are responsible for shaping culture in various ways. The types of judgment calls that occur with photojournalism are represented through images such as those that were captured when people jumped off the side of the World Trade Centre when the building was on fire after the terrorist attacks. Other tough calls include the Vietnam war, when a naked girl walked down the street covered in napalm. These images have been burned into the minds of so many people throughout the world and they are all because of one horrifying look. Some of these photos are so powerful that they can change the way a society views a situation, such as the way the public viewed the war in Vietnam. It may have even ended the war due to the growing opposition to it. Photojournalism is an extremely powerful tool. “Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose
Cited: Bersak, D. (2003). Ethics in Photojournalism: Past, Present and Future. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/drb/Public/PhotoThesis/ Collins, R. (2000). A brief history of photography and photojournalism. North Dakota State University. Retrieved from http://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~rcollins/242photojournalism/historyofphotography.html