Ethics in Photography

This is the code of ethics in photography according to the NPPA

CODE OF ETHICS

Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work:

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one’s own biases in the work.
4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

Ideally, visual journalists should:

1. Strive to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
2. Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.
3. Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one’s own journalistic independence.
5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
7. Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

For one of ethical subjects I have chosen to touch on the subject of to much photoshop in commercial images.

http://www.slrlounge.com/photoshopped-images-ethical-dilemma/

This is an image I fond on google which demonstrates the change of a persons looks after post production,  I see where people are coming from when they are saying that the photoshopping has gone to far in the fact that some models end up looking like a completely different person and it could be selling something which is not doing what the product is said to do but in my opinion as long as its not an image that is selling such a thing as make up, hair of any cosmetics are manipulated during the post production I see no harm in it such as if it was a model shoot for a dress and the editor decided that he/ she wanted the models shape to be different if the model has agreed on a model release form that he/she is happy to be edited then I see no problem. There is a big on going argument about the effect that the model has on the public such as a woman who’s legs or waste has been manipulated to be thinner and a young girl sees this and tries to become that thin and makes her self ill in the process, but I think that this is not due to the image, I think no matter if its a photo of a model un manipulated or one manipulated the public will always strive to be like them, since the birth of media there has and always will be a percentage of people who are not happy in them selves enough to fall into the trap of being exploited by the media to buy things they believe will make them as beautiful/trendy as the model used to sell the product though I don’t think that its wrong to exploit the weak minded for it is their fault for being so.

As a commercial photographer it is my job to sell products through imagery, and i think that as long as a certain line is not crossed such as the fakery of the products actual out come and to make sure the person that is being manipulated has agreed in a written contract that they are ok with it then I think all is fair game to produce a good result.

As much as my view is found upon I think if people were a bit more careful and believed in them selves more there would not be this problem.

Such as this image of Harry Styles obviously it has been manipulated a lot but in my opinion its the same as a girl wearing make up, a girl wearing makeup is not a true representation of her self but its not frowned up on where as manipulating a photo to make some one look better is.