War Photoblog does an ‘Analysis of Biased Photojournalism Techniques’ that is certainly worth seeing, especially the sections on tilted cameras and lighting.
We dealt with this issue on a number of occasions: see Photo Op, Something Fishy at AFP, and The Sympathy Photo. This was a particularly telling photo we addressed in Photo Op:
One big question, though, is defining what photographic techniques are legitimate for photojournalists to employ in capturing a shot. Is nothing but the most bland, straightforward photo permissible? We’ve seen plenty of Mideast photojournalists cross the line to romanticize/victimize Palestinian subjects, but is War Photoblog’s definition correct?:
For news photographs, photographers should abide by strict standards to ensure objectivity: there should be no intentional blurring or unusual composition or framing. Lighting should be as clear as possible. The greatest range possible should be in focus. And a balanced range of subjects should be photographed to give the viewer a full context to the story.
Can photojournalism aspire to the same standards of objectivity as news reports should? Or does the medium, by its very nature, require artistic influence? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
