Fauxtography Files: Photojournalist Blows Lid on Collusion With Stone Throwers

October 2, 2011 10:28 by Pesach Benson

The video: Italian photographer Ruben Salvadori blows the lid on collusion between photojournalists and Palestinian stone throwers.

In this remarkably documented video, Salvadori describes how the David-and-Goliath images come about, despite the way they distort reality of the clashes they cover.

Photojournalism Behind the Scenes [ITA-ENG subs] from Ruben Salvadori on Vimeo.

The significance: It was only a year ago — also in Silwan –  when David Be’eri was ambushed by teenage stone-throwers. Remember this image?

I interviewed David Katz, a veteran photographer and imagery advisor, who said that incident reeked of a setup.

It’s absolute collusion. Why? It’s either for money, for politics, or both. The news agencies want these images because they sell, and they fit in with their worldview. Photographers know these kinds of images will move. Most importantly, if there had been no photographers present, there would have been no incident.

Problem was, none of the photographers there that day would admit as much. It’s not just the money at stake. The above photo won Ilia Yefimovich an Award for Excellence from Pictures of the Year International.

Salvadori, to his credit, breaks the silence on what we’ve been saying all along.

Category: Backspin Tags:David Katz, Fauxtography, Ilia Yefimovich, photojournalism, Ruben Salvadori, Silwan
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