Is it Worth the Awe?

Hallie Kile
hk649314@ohio.edu

A photo can tell a story in a snapshot. Whether tragic or beautiful, or even a bit of both, images make an audience feel. 

Scrolling through Time's "The Most Influential Photos of All Time" is certainly an emotional experience. A collage of one hundred photos is plastered across the computer screen, many including a link to a video of the photo's story. Some, such as Richard Drew's "The Falling Man," the renowned image of a man falling from the Twin Towers on 9/11, are horrifying.

Kevin Carter stirs feelings of pity and anguish in "Starving Child and Vulture," while "V-J Day in Times Square" by Alfred Aisenstaedt is an iconic image of love and hope.

These photos, collectively, are a testament to photojournalism's ability to capture a moment in time before it passes.

Occasionally, the moment portrayed by an image isn't quite as accurate as we may believe, though.

Some historical images included in the iconic collection, such as "The Valley of the Shadow of Death" and "Raising a Flag over the Reichstag" have been manipulated, according to Bronx Documentary Center.

Manipulated version of Roger Fenton's
"The Valley of the Shadow of Death"
via Bronx Documentary Center

In its exhibition "Fake Photos," Bronx Documentary Center discusses the staging of Roger Fenton's "The Valley of the Shadow of Death," in which cannonballs were placed along the road in the image.

Non-manipulated version via Bronx Documentary Center

According to the expedition's text, the photo was taken during the Crimean War in 1855. The historical image proves that photo manipulation has been a trend of the ages.

Is it a problem, though?

Manipulation and Integrity

In a PBS News Hour video discussing photo manipulation, New York Times photographer and founder of Bronx Documentary Center Michael Kamber revealed the value of integrity when editing photos.

"We are the professionals. We have to maintain standards and ethics. We have to make sure that these photos are an accurate representation," Kamber said in the video.

When editing images, it is important to remember that the purpose of the photo should be to tell a story, and an accurate one. Manipulating an image beyond the scope of reality can compromise a photographer's integrity, which is the most valuable characteristic a journalist can have today.

With editing tools readily accessible to professionals and amateurs alike, it is imperative for journalists to consider the repercussions of heavily-edited photos. Members of the media should make it their duty to uphold the highest standards of integrity when telling a story, whether visual or written.

If altering the brightness or scenery of a photo alters the accuracy of the image, it is best to avoid making such changes.

Similarly, adding or removing items within an image can be detrimental to its realistic purity.

"We can't be negotiating what is inside the frame. It has to be what is actually there when you took the photo," Kamber said in the video.

In general, when editing, less is more. By reducing the amount of manipulation performed on a photo, journalists can rest assured that a story of accuracy is told.

Sure, heavily manipulated photos might look fascinating, but their originals tell a more compelling story.

That story is truth.