The Others - Debating the Rules and Ethics of Digital Photojournalism.

Back in February 2015 on the 17th, The New York Times published an artical on the World Press Photo competition talking about why 20% of the contensences were disqualified for excessive and blantant post processing. They stated that images were being so over or under toned and manipulated the orignal image taken from the raw file looked unregonisable.

The paper included a variety of people's opinion's on that matter such as Melissa Lyttle, an independent photographer who was one of the judges of the competition who's questing" what message is being sent out to others by the photojournalists who think any degree of lying or manipluations is O.K when it comes to their images".She mentioned not only does it have an effect on people who look at their images and change their concept but it also starts to change how other photojournalists start to change their image as they see it as the 'ideal'. Melissa said "If we, as journaslists, can't be trusted to tell the truth in our reporting, the entire foundation of our profession is going to crumble under our feet".

The New York Times also spoke to a photographer who took place in the competion and was one of the 20% to be disqualifed. The name of the photographer is unkown as he only agreed to speak to the paper as long as his identy was left out. He felt that as a freelance photographer, that he had to do more to get his work out there not just for his vision but more for his business to be more known. The photographer said "since the advent of digital files -- of RAW and the ease of Photoshop -- the rules have blurred" He was left to feel shocked and embarrassed when finding out he had been disqualifed from the completion, but said he realised he'd done nothing different than he had done before. The photographer asked "why is it O.K to use flash and basically bring a portable sun?" because he feels as if that isnt real lighting and the cropping is ethically the same thing as what he has done. A point that he made was as photographers changing the image doesnt nesserarly make it true or untrue as its just a "different interpretation of the world in front of us".

My personal opinion on that matter is that I think both sides have good points to back up their arguemnt! But at the end of the day, journalism comes down to telling the truth and if an image is being changed that much that the truth isnt coming across... a line has been crossed. I think the photographer is correct to a point about the false lighting and cropping of an image but then again thats a whole different genre of photography. If he feels like his view on the world is different from everyone elses then he needs to change his style of photography and maybe focus on fine art or something along those lines. Melissa who was one of the judges spoke about how she worries about what images do to other people and what it makes them think which is understandable but i find the way she talks about it to be a little over dramtic as she basically saying they changed the image having bad intentions. Like the photographer pointed out, everyone has different interpretation of the world so really who is to say whats right and wrong when it comes to someone's views on the world that theu see before them.