Shattered Lens: Part 3 – Putting Palestinians Behind Bars
December 12, 2010 16:41
by Honest837Reporting
How the wire services use bars in their images to promote the Palestinian narrative of suffering and the impression of Palestinians as “prisoners” of Israeli brutality.
Our Findings:
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Wire service photographers use clever photographic techniques to present a false impression that enhances images of Palestinian “suffering”.
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The use of bars in such images is a widespread method of portraying Palestinians as “prisoners” of Israeli occupation and brutality.
What could be more symbolic of suffering and mistreatment than the image of small children behind bars? Particularly in reference to Gaza, which is regularly portrayed as a vast ‘open air prison’.
For example, The Independent chose to illustrate the story below with an image from AFP/Getty. The caption:
Children join the protest in Gaza City yesterday as Palestinians demanded an end to the siege.
This is but one example of how wire agency photographers resort to using camera angles and staging techniques to present a distorted (and worse) picture of a given situation.In the example above, it is clear that the photographer used this technique to project an image of Gazan children imprisoned. However, the sequence of photos taken from the same scene at the time illustrates how the effect was achieved.
What we see above is a tiny group of Palestinian children arriving at what appears to be a pre-planned photo op outside the Gaza industrial area presumably organized by Hamas. The photographer either willingly colludes with Hamas or is used.Next, the children have been positioned behind a gate to give the effect of a prison.
However, using a great deal of skill to get the right position with the right lens from the right angle, the photographer manages to create an impression of many more than the several children in the actual shot.
The same children appear in the remaining two images from the sequence, again highlighting how the entire event was staged. The same technique of shooting from below and to the side is employed to give the impression that there are actually more people involved than the reality.
Bars and wires were a common theme during the course of this three-month study, some examples of which we have included below.
Category: Media Critiques & Resources Photo Bias
Tags:AFP/Getty, Blair, gaza, honestreporting, image, Independent, palestinians, Pallywood, photo, photobias, press, terror
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» Shattered Lens: Part 6 – Photo Bias in Depictions of the IDF Freedom Alert!: Defending American Freedom by exposing Radical Islam, Socialist, Liberals, and all the Enemies of Freedom, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness!
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The Age recycelt inszeniertes Foto « Medien BackSpin
7:53 pm
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[...] unserer Reihe „Zerschmetterte Fotolinsen“ zu tendenziösen Bildern konzentrieren sich darauf, wie die Nachrichtenagenturen Gitterstäbe in ihren Bildern benutzen, um das palästinensische Leidens-Narrativ und die Vorstellung davon zu befördern, dass die [...]
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lovezion
3:18 pm
Aug 01, 2011
Everyone who’s intelligent enough know how palestinians lie and falsify right and left…yet, no one does anything concrete rather than words…
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Mr. Light-Bright
6:37 pm
Sep 28, 2011
Some cultures greatly uphold “dignity,” and so they will not show you their disgrace. Some cultures greatly uphold “honour” and they will show that honour mutually, that being they will acknowledge the honourable good that was done to them (they are bound by that honour). Some cultures greatly uphold truth, and say that “the truth will set you free!” Some cultures uphold cunning LIES, along side any means, to reach a desired end.
Unfortunately when looking at these images they show not: dignity; nor honour to those Israelis who support them; Nor do I see truth! I see lies to justify a means.
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The Gaza You've Never Seen • IDF Blog | The Official Blog of the Israel Defense Forces
5:58 pm
Jul 08, 2012
[...] learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. The central public library in Gaza. Photo by Laura [...]
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The Gaza You’ve Never Seen | Blogs about Israel aggregation
6:09 pm
Jul 08, 2012
[...] To learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. [...]
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The Gaza You’ve Never Seen • IDF Blog | The Official Blog of the Israel Defense Forces | Meir Weiss' Blog
6:13 pm
Jul 08, 2012
[...] To learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. [...]
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The Horrendous Conditions in Gaza. No What!? |
7:02 pm
Jul 09, 2012
[...] To learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. [...]
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Israel and Stuff » IDF: The Gaza You’ve Never Seen
9:55 pm
Jul 09, 2012
[...] learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. The central public library in Gaza. – Photo by Laura [...]
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The Gaza You’ve Never Seen
7:51 am
Jul 30, 2012
[...] To learn more, check out these examples of photos from the Gaza Strip as well as these examples of staged photography. [...]
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