For starters, a photojournalists main objective would have to be identified first. A photojournalists objective is to “uncover reality” - that is, to present truth to its viewers (Ratavaara, 2009). In relation to Week 10's topic (cyborgs), a camera for a photojournalist is like an extension of their vision, thus their main goal is to transfer what they see and disseminate that image to a wider audience.

From the surface, it may seem like photography has no rights or wrongs. But, when you're dealing with an audience, adhering to the age long belief that unless its art, photographs are meant to depict reality (Ratavaara, 2009), it is a completely different issue. As there are a wide array of truths that people aren't aware of as some of them are too gory or seemingly doesn't fit in our world, brings about a set of codes, ethics, that photojournalists are supposed to adhere to. “Supposed” is used here because like the saying, “all rules are meant to be broken”.

Wright (2004) defines ethics as “a branch of philosophy that is concerned with issues of right or wrong” (p. 178). In relation to photojournalism, Wright (2004) had classified ethics that applies to media professionals under “applied ethics”. This comprises of ethics that apply in situations like in Kevin Carter's famous picture of a starving African child and the vulture that was eying it to be its next prey, for instance, when capturing a starving child, do they just leave them or..?

Wright (2004) had listed three ethics of photojournalism. They are:

1. Photograph as honestly as possible, provide accurate captions, and never intentionally distort the truth in news photographs.

2. Never alter the content or meaning of news photograph, and prohibit subsequent alteration.

3. Disclose any alteration and manipulation of content or meaning in editorial feature or illustrative photographs and require the publisher to disclose that distortion of any further alteration

Quoted from: Wright, 2004, p. 180

Whereas NPPA (2011) had also listed codes of ethics for a visual journalist – in relation to this entry, a photojournalist. Some of the rules listed are as follows:

4. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation

5. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.

Quoted from: NPPA, 2011

In the first rule listed above, it is fairly obvious why photojournalist should adhere to this rule. If they misrepresented truth intentionally, this would tarnish their credibility because as I have established in the beginning of this entry - a photojournalists goal is to uncover truth. Where would the truth be when bias is involved?

The second rule basically means that a photojournalist should capture images as is. Therefore, the photographer should not play any part into making a scenario that they envision. This rule does not only apply when taking the photograph. It should also apply to what happens after the photograph. Therefore, taking a picture as it is and then altering the situation would still go against this code.

Rule number 3 simply means that if photos are altered in any way, there should be a disclaimer to let the audience know that the photograph has been manipulated. Any form of manipulation, be is something as simple as changing the colour of an object in the image is still considered as altering truth - therefore, this goes against a photojournalists whole purpose.

This is a famous instance where this rule is not practiced as the difference as they are clearly the same picture but used to create different meanings.

The fourth and fifth rule stated above basically means that do not let yourself (as the photojournalist) and your subjects influence the picture you take. Meaning, as a photojournalist, you do not reward the people you are photographing to create a scenario that you wish to capture. While the fifth rule basically means, do not give in to bribery. When you are bribed, you are in one way or another influenced to take a picture that is biased in nature.

References:

NPPA. (2011). NPPA code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html on November 12, 2011. (*disclaimer: although .org sites are not to be fully trusted, I referred to it because Wright (2004) had also referred to NPPA in his book.)

Ratavaara, N. (2009). Ethics in photojournalism. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.bn/books?id=msTDsWhMR-MC&lpg=PA4&dq=Photojournalism%20ethics&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q&f=false on November 12, 2011. Wright, T. (2004).

The photography handbook. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.bn/books?id=-fGFXROq2qoC&lpg=PP1&pg=PR4#v=onepage&q&f=false on November 12, 2011.