Ethics - In Class Assignment #7

• After reading the article Altered Image, Vanished Trust: Photojournalism in the Age of Digital Manipulation, answer the following questions. Your response should be at least 200-300 words.
  
• QUESTION: Where do you think digital artists should draw the line when it comes to digital manipulation?
  
  ANSWER: I think that Asia Hamilton said it best in the Vanished Trust article, "I think photo altering is ok if the photography is art or editorial related,” Hamilton said. “However, photojournalism should not be altered because it is a documentation of facts. The news can only be trusted if it is completely factual.” I agree wholeheartedly with her point of view. The line must first be drawn based on the way the image is being used. If this is for art or editorial purposes, than an imaged can be digititally manipulated. However, I find a large problem with the fashion industry altering the images of already malnourished looking models. This misrepresentation of image is influencing other designers, not to mention the way we (as people) think we should look. Our culture is overly obsessed with image and looking good.
  
• QUESTION: Should there be a code of ethics for photographers and other digital artists?
  
  ANSWER: I feel that for professional photographers and digital artists employed by large corporations and media outlets should have a code of ethics, or guidelines for their work. I believe that this would minimize the "fake" images that are being shown to the public. 
  
• QUESTION: Where do you as a photographer/artist personally draw the line?
  
  ANSWER:  I want the pictures I take to be as honest as they can be. If I edit an image using Photoshop it is due to my inexperience with my camera, and to attempt on making the picture appear the way my eyes viewed it. However, if I am taking a picture and am turning it into a piece of art I will add flecks of light, glitter, transparent pngs, swirls.. Something that takes a picture and takes it up a notch. However, I would never try to say that this image was "real life" or #SOOC or #NoFilters. I would present it as an illustration. 

• Respond to these question for one of the photographs we looked at today in class (vietnam, fire escape, vulture) and answer the following questions: Your response should be at least 200-300 words.
  
• QUESTION: If you were an editor...Would you publish this? Why or Why not?
  
  ANSWER: The images we saw today were all tactfully done, even though they were of intense situations. They showed the mood of each situation, showed the emotion of all involved and truly made me (the viewer) think. As an editor, I would completely publish these images. I feel that images that I see on the nightly news, or in online newspaper articles are far more grotesque and are inappropriate. Our culture is so obsessed with shock value, and I hate that the news outlets are becoming more cinematic with their photos and less journalistic. 
  
• QUESTION: Do you think any good came of these images or were they just insensitive and used sell papers or acquire fame?
  
  ANSWER: These images did influence change. The fire escape photo brought to light how unsafe those structures were, and they were rebuilt and made stronger. The Vietnam image brought the war into the homes of the families of the soldiers serving overseas, and to those who were having doubts about how awful the war was. The vulture image allowed people to step beyond their first world problems, and think about donating, volunteering, or advocating for people in third world countries.