Politics of Representation

Whilst studying digital postproduction I have become aware of (researched) the ethics and politics involved in how an image or photograph is represented.

Photography has an indexical nature. It is much closer and truer to it’s subject than painting or drawing for example and therefore considered more objective. So considering digital postproduction and manipulation this has implications especially in the world of news, media and photojournalism.

The following text is from an article in News Photographer magazine entitled Ethics Matters. It discusses digital manipulation in relation to photojournalism, ethics and the public.

"In national surveys sent to photojournalists, editors, and educators, as if guided by a single voice, all exclaim the same concern: The most serious threat to the integrity and credibility of photojournalism images-whether for still or motion presentations-is computer manipulation.

Almost 10 years ago, Howard Chapnick eloquently summed up the dangers to journalism with such manipulations: "Credibility. Responsibility. These words give us the right to call photojournalism a profession rather than a business. Not maintaining that credibility will diminish our journalistic impact and self-respect." Hal Buell of the Associated Press once said, "Ethics is in the mind. It is not in the tools you use." Robert Gilka, former director of photography for National Geographic said that manipulating images is "like limited nuclear war. There ain't none." The threat to credibility is irreversible if the public starts to mistrust the integrity of news images.

The first time many learned that a new age in photo retouching had dawned were the reports of cable mogul Ted Turner using computerized colorization techniques on classic, black-and-white movies. The motive was profit-it was hoped viewers would be more attracted to the color versions. Profit was the motive for the A Day in the Life books of America, Australia, Canada, and California. All had cover pictures manipulated by computer technology.

Some argue that a cover photograph for a book or magazine or a promotional piece for a news cast can be altered in order to achieve maximum impact because the image is designed to attract potential buyers or viewers just like an advertisement or commercial. Sean Callahan, former editor of American Photo says that covers are sales tools that are used to attract browsing newsstand buyers. "There is tremendous competition in that kind of environment and so you have to do something to get [buyers'] attention," Callahan said.

Photographic truth is an elusive, often subjective, concept. Commercial demands, personal presumptions about how a subject's story should be told, deadline pressure panic, unreasonable editors, an image's eye-catching ability, and interjecting political, religious, or personal beliefs can all demean the credibility of the image, the photojournalist, and the media institution.

John Long of the Hartford Courant and former president of the NPPA, probably said it best:

"Each day when you step out onto the street, remember that you have been granted a sacred trust to be truthful. You have the responsibility to produce only honest images. You have no right to set up pictures; you have no right to stage the news; you have no right to distort the facts. Your fellow citizens trust you. If you destroy the credibility of your work, even in small ways, it destroys the credibility of your newspaper or TV station in the eyes of the people you are covering" (emphasis added)."

There has been a lot of controversy in the media about war photography and the use of Photoshop. With the use of digital postproduction images are given a completely different meaning, misleading the public. Some journalist and war photographers have been discovered staging images, and although this does not occur post-production it is still manipulation and something that can misinform the public.

These are a number of interesting articles found on the BJP website concerning War Photography, journalism, news and media and the use of digital manipulation...
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=printer_friendly&print=340726
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=printer_friendly&print=455150
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=printer_friendly&print=358124
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=printer_friendly&print=202462

When considering Documentary Photography we come across a debate. Should photographers strive to make their photographs aesthetically pleasing using postproduction and manipulation or should they present the raw, true image?
This leads into the question of photography and art. Is photography art? Or is it a representation of the truth? Can it be both and therefore acceptable to manipulate? There are certain ‘Photographies’ defined by the idea of truth, Photojournalism is surely one. Another for example is forensic photography. This type of photography has very strict guidelines and specifications to ensure the photograph is a completely true representation of the scene, obviously any kind of postproduction would be unjust.

In previous modules I have discussed digital manipulation in relation to fashion and beauty. Air brushing and excessive editing is prevalent throughout the industry and is therefore a controversial issue. The media is blamed for distorting our views of ‘true’ and ‘real’ beauty. The Dove Real Beauty Campaign is a perfect example of this, using women of all shapes and sizes and being regarded as ‘real’ women rather than size zero, air brushed models. The advert ‘Evolution’ also shows how much an image is digitally manipulated before it is used in an advert.

I do not feel that it is entirely necessary to consider my images in relation to ethics and postproduction as they are graphic and altered obviously and purely for artistic reasons, they would not mislead anyone in anyway. However they have been created to make a point and express my opinions as well as others, this could be a biased opinion. So is it acceptable to manipulate photographs in order to make a point?