Heather Brouillard Photojournalism: Ethics of Photojournalism

Like many presidents, Ronald Reagan was photographed and placed on the cover of Time Magazine. His photo was altered. However, it was not done using Photoshop, seeing as the editing took place long before that software came about. Instead, an illustrated and then digitally placed tear was inserted running down Reagan’s face depicting his opinion on the conservative right wing falling apart. The controversy goes even farther because both the photographer and illustrator were labeled on the magazine’s cover. However, is stating an illustrator enough to tell readers the image was altered? Time thinks so “‘Time regularly runs conceptual covers,’ ” said a spokesman.

Editing a photograph and portraying it to be true is never acceptable. It contradicts ethics, especially my own. I made a photo map to illustrate my own personal ethics. I revolved them all around my main value regarding my life. This main value is that we are all humans. No one is superior or inferior to another, regardless of race, intelligence, culture, and so on. That is why one of my values is equality. Another big value on my map is truthfulness. By editing any photo, it completely eliminates truthfulness. Without truth, one cannot live a real life.

Each one of my ethics depicted in my map contradict the edited photograph on the cover of Time Magazine. First of all, respect is violated. By portraying Reagan in a different light, it destroys Reagan’s self-respect along with his personal identity to the citizens that are led by him. Also, showing Reagan of crying even though he is not takes away his dignity because it shows him in a vulnerable, emotional state that is not even true! I also value opinion and knowledge greatly. Everyone is worthy of their own opinion and capacity of knowledge. That should not be belittled. However, even though the knowledge of the situation regarding Reagan’s foreign diplomacy was known, the editors at the magazine made and opinion and placed it on the President as being his own. We are all humans and react differently. Some cry, others do not. But it is not acceptable to force an emotion on someone. Emotions are the realest human data.

The photographer, David Hume Kennerly, originally took Reagan’s photo like any other photographer would. Later, the “illustrator” Tim O’Brien digitally added his illustration. This was a process that the editors planned on doing all along. I would have not planned such a rigid outline before the photo-shoot began. Like I said, people react in different ways and in order to show that, I would wait for Reagan to become fired up or shameful and then capture a photo. I would have had respect for the President’s dignity and self-identity. Therefore, I would not have manipulated him into something he was not. Although a major difference, there were similarities between the cover photo and what I would have done. For example, I would have stuck to American culture. Culture and truthfulness along with respect would all compile into a similar photograph, before it was edited. These are three of my ethics that would have photographed the President as a respectable, powerful, and professional man in his suit and close up face.

Here is my ethics map