Photo Journal Part 2

Art photography can be interpreted and appreciated in many ways. It sometimes tries to convey certain messages or make a statement or impact. It is also created for appreciation. It can be a lie, misrepresentation, completely obscure and ridiculous, but it is art. Since art is subjective and abstract, it is acceptable for photographers to alter and edit their art photographs. Art photography does not have the responsibility of accurate representation.Art photography can be altered to highlight, accentuate and exaggerate certain features in a photograph. There aren't as many ethical rules to art photography as there is with press photography. As mentioned in the lecture slides (week 9), photo journalists have a code of ethics to uphold. Art photography does not have to represent facts or accuracy.

I altered this photo I took by cropping it to bring up the horizon line. I also used a black and white effect to bring out the textures in the scenery. I did this to enhance the photo.

I also altered this photo of mine by also using a black and white effect. The original brought out the colours of the stones but I was more concerned with making the texture of the rocks stand out and the black and white effect helped enhance it. I also increased the highlights which brought up the contrast to bring out a more vivid and intense quality to it.


Once a photograph is altered, it loses a certain authenticity to it. It is no longer accurate. Therefore, press photographers should not alter their photographs because of the responsibility they have to the public to represent the truth accurately. Almost everyone relies on news reports and newspapers as a primary source of information. Press photographs should not be non partisan and free of any influence of thought. In Brian Gilden's photo essay "Detroit Foreclosures", he is able to maintain authenticity by showing unaltered pictures of Detroit's slums and having a Detroit native speaking about their every day living conditions. His photos contextualize a message, not invent one. Altering press photos could result in a misrepresentation of the facts, be misleading, and can change the story behind it completely. Since it is difficult for a photography to contextualize itself, the photograph must remained untouched, unless it is to improve the quality of the photograph itself, for example, lightening and darkening photos from under or overexposure.

Post tsunami/earthquake Japan (Photo credits:Kyodo/Reuters, Toronto Star, http://www.thestar.com/topic/japan#photo)
Since there is no other way for the rest of the world to understand or see the impact of this natural disaster, we rely on photographs such as this and videos to keep ourselves informed. This photograph is remains unaltered to accurately depict the destruction and tragedy in Japan.

African Child with Vulture (Photo Credits: Kevin Carter, http://my.opera.com/yeeliberto/albums/showpic.dml?album=285129&picture=6019622)

This infamous photograph is more than it first appears to be. The photographer (Kevin Carter) intended the photograph to be only of the child to highlight the famine and starvation crisis in Africa. The photographer originally tried scaring the vulture off but it didn't move. He took the photo, and later realized that the vulture knew the child was slowly dying and the vulture was essentially waiting on his prey. (Time Magazine, 1994). As tragic as this photograph is, if Carter had chosen to crop the vulture of the photo, it would have told a completely different and possibly inaccurate story. It would have shown that the child was starving, but not that there was a chance the vulture would attack the child. The unaltered photo shows that many African lives are in danger not only of starvation, but of being hunted by wild animals.

Works Cited
Danilovic, Sandra. Lecture slides from week 9. Photography: Shooting the Truth. George Brown College. 2011.

Gilden, Bruce. Detroit Foreclosures. Magnum in Motion. http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/foreclosures-detroit. Accessed March 19, 2011.

Macleod, Scott. The Life and Death of Kevin Carter. Time Magazine. 1994. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981431,00.html. Accessed March 18 2011.