Photojournalism

Emilio Morenatti

I like the idea of taking an image whilst on the move, as in the image by Emilio Morenatti (right). The technique sometimes called panning can add an extra dimension to the work, since it creates a full stop in time and the idea of time passing someone or something by. The Past Revealing the Present could work when taken using this method to illustrate how times have changed to reveal the state of things today. I am using this technique for my final images to reveal how a seaside town near my home has gone from a vibrant Victorian holiday hot spot to a virtual dump, with closed shops, derelict bus stations et al.

For more examples of Morenatti's work see his website on the following link:
http://www.emiliomorenatti.com/newfront.html

Morenati's work along with countless other examples of photojournalism past and present can be viewed on the website of the National Press Photographers Association, by following the link below.
http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/magazine/

I took my image of the derelict Divine Gift shop from a moving vehicle to get the sense of time passing and the insignificance of the place. The closure of the shop was the starting point for my story, which emerged when I was researching Southport in general. The shop made the newspapers in February 2010, when it closed leaving a note pinned to the window from the owners, thanking their loyal customers, and explaining that their closure was caused by the general lack of investment into the town, and the rise of the charity shops in recent years, leading to a disenfranchised public.

Although the image is out of focus, there is still the sense of the empty unit, and the charity shop almost making it look like it has become a charity case itself.

Photojournalism

The Problem with Digital Manipulation

As we see from these two images taken by American Photographer Allan Detrich in 2007, the problem with manipulating a moment in time, is that it fundamentally alters the truth, misleading the viewer.
Certainly in the case of the press, they have a moral duty to report the truth. Detrich's serial manipulation of the facts of his image, lead ultimately to his resignation from the Toledo Blade fro whom he worked. Detrich had previously won a Pulitzer Prize for his works.

Photojournalism

Ethics In Photojournalism

According to Carolynne Burkholder, from the website Journalism Ethics for the Global Citizen, in her article of Journalism Ethics, today, the photographers role has moved from one of simply taking images to record events, to capture a moment in time, "a reality". Today, she believes that "with photographic advancements, claims that photographs simply "mirror" events is no longer plausible, as we live in an age were images may be altered"
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This in turn raises the question of ethics in photojournalism, and guidelines which she sets down in the article, such as the manipulation of photographs, the intrusion into people's privacy,
and the use of graphical or shocking imagery for effect.

She further goes on to quote the following:
"from the Canadian Association of Journalists Ethics Guidelines:

• Photojournalist are responsible for the integrity of their images. We will not alter images so that they mis lead the public.
• We will explain in the photo caption if a photograph has been staged.
• We will label altered images as photo illustrations.

She further adds codes of Ethics from the National Association of Press Photographers amongst others, which all serves as good grounding to any would be journalists out there.

Below is a link to her article in the online journal.

http://www.journalismethics.ca/online_journalism_ethics/photojournalism.htm