Photo Journal 2 -- ART vs PRESS

1. To me, the main difference between art and press photography is emotion and truth. A press photograph may be taken of an emotional situation but the photo is truly being taken to capture the scene not the emotion the scene invokes. To document the event not the feelings there were. If the feelings come along side it, thats one thing but the photos aren't meant to hold that alone they are just meant to hold the truth. Art photographs can be based on just the emotion behind them, they don't even have to make sense or seem relevant visually to be art. Examples of this can be seen in Andre Kertesz photo of the two pairs of glasses and the pipe and tobacco. This photo doesn’t have much context but stimulates thought and makes you wonder, who wore these glasses? Who smoked that pipe? Another example is the photo I have taken of the ceramic fire pot as art and the burning car as press photography. They both feature fire and inanimate objects but have completely different meanings and purposes.

2. I believe it is acceptable and ethical to edit art photographs because it can emphasize the beauty of a photograph. Some photographers like Andre Kertesz have an instinct a gift to naturally capture a beautiful moment. “Look at the atmosphere, the reflection. Why did I do it this way? Instinct. I have no other explanation the subject offered its self to me and I took advantage ” Not all people who wish to capture a feeling that can move someone have this instinct. Kertesz had this instinct and never edited or staged his photos. People such as myself have the power to take an amazing photo, thanks to modern technology by having my Cannon Power Shot SX30 IS camera on a tripod and taking dozens of frames per second. I then go through the photos to see which is the caught the scene the way I had imagined. Once I find an image that pleases me I run it through a photo editor to turn it into what I intended it to be. The photo of my boyfriend Keegan and I on an island we canoed to in Muskoka is an example of this. We left the camera to do as it pleased on the tripod with the zoom on and started to dance on a rock. I found the photo pictured of us below where you can see how care free I am laughing like nobody’s watching, not even the camera. I wanted to make the photo seem more frozen so I changed the exposure so there was a bigger difference between us and the water and turned the photo black and white. After this I feel the photo radiated the emotions we were feeling at that moment.

3. I believe it is unethical to edit press photographs unless it is to enhance the visibility of the scene of the image. Press photographs are supposed to document a event. A time. A story. I feel if the photo is edited it is untruthful to the events. Also, A press photograph should never be stages because thjat would not depict what is naturally happening in the scene. This is why Cartier-Bresson spoke of always being invisible as to not inmterrupt the scene unfolding around him. Cedo was a true journalist to me because it crushed him that he could not capture the story that was unfolding in front of him because the protesters in Macedonia destroyed his camera. He was not concerned with the look or feel of the event. In my opinion, he was concerned with not letting the event going undocumented, unseen. Cedo even went back the next day to attempt to photograph the aftermath. In my photo, I took a picture of myself and a customer while working. I did not edit at all for fear of compromising the image. I simply wanted to document the event for my clients news letter.

Because these images are supposed to be real and raw, editing them can make them deceiving. If the image is edited for clarity for example Sharpening or adjusting lighting I believe that is acceptable but when it comes to editing a half closed eye to look open or a police officer raising a hand with a baton in it and making it look differently or any component that tells or supports the story is messed with, I believe it is very wrong. Press photography must show the facts and be based on the facts. It must be honest, based on truth not assumptions or false reality.


Sources Cited:


Icevska, Gordana. "Week 10 Readings." Weblog post. Photography Shooting the Truth. George Brown College, 9 Jan. 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2012.