Controversial Photography Topics

Surprisingly, photography is a career path that is full of controversial topics. Since my last blog talked about the ethics of Photoshop, I thought it would be a good idea to explore some of the other controversies in photography. I did some research and found an article by photographytalk.com, which you can find here, that discusses what they think are the most controversial topics. I also found an article by digital-photography-school.com, which you can find here, which talks about some of the same controversial topics from another angle. In this blog post, I'll discuss these topics from both points of view, give my opinion and talk about a survey that I conducted about these questions.

Should you ask permission before you take a photo of someone in a photojournalistic setting and do you need a model release?

Yes, you should have to ask permission before you take someone's photo in a photojournalistic setting. The subject of the photo could be doing something that they do not want photographed. If it is an emotional moment, like a vigil or funeral, the subject of the photo might feel as if their personal space is invaded. Also, a model release can protect you from any lawsuits that you could face. Also, this allows the subject of the photo to know exactly how their photo will be used.

No, you should not have to ask permission before you take someone's photo. As a photojournalist, your job is to document things the way they are happening. Asking for permission can disrupt the natural flow of events and put subject's on edge which would create a photo that is not an accurate description of the event. Getting a model release may also be hard in a crowded public setting.

My Opinion is that I think common sense and good judgement are the answers to this question. I think that if you are out in public at an event, then it is totally fine to photograph people. For example, if you are at a political rally, I think it's totally okay (and probably encouraged) to bring a camera and take photographs. I also think that as long as the photo does not show people doing something that could jeopardize their future or their career, it is fine to take it without permission. According to a photography blog, which you can view here, there are some general rules of thumb that should be followed for legal reasons. The article says that if you are going to photograph a subject for commercial use, you should obtain a model release form but if you are only taking someone's photo in public, you do not need one.

Is editing a photo to remove unwanted objects (trash cans, telephone poles, etc) considered "cheating?"

Yes, this isn't necessary for a photo. Altering parts of a photo like this take away from the naturalness of the photo and can alter the tone of it. You should be focusing on making a photo perfect while you are shooting instead of removing stuff while editing.

No, this is necessary. Editing software is meant to enhance a photo and make it as strong as possible. Software like this is meant to help photographers create beautiful photos.

My Opinion is that this is an acceptable form of editing IF AND ONLY IF it is in a freelance portrait/staged shoot. When shooting, it is not possible to remove every eye sore from your shot. I think that editing in this regard allows the photographer to really focus on their subjects and make that part of the photo strong. I don't really think a photographer should have to worry about manually removing trash cans and other objects like this from the back of photos. When I'm shooting, I would rather focus on making sure my model's hair looks good and that their clothing is not wrinkled. I do think that Photoshop should not be used to thin models or change their physical appearance in ways that are not possible. The general rule of thumb that I was taught is that if you can change a "blemish" or "eye sore" easily, that is can be edited. This includes acne, clothing wrinkles, trash cans and cars.

Based on some research I have done and some people that I have talked to, these kind of edits are not acceptable for a photojournalist and can lead to a photojournalist losing their job. Steve McCurry, a Magnum and National Geographic photojournalist, was under fire for removing "distracting" background objects and drastically editing his photos in Photoshop, which you can read about here. The Associated Press released a statement saying that photographers are not allowed to "alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photograph in any way." They also talked about how no element would be added or subtracted from a photo.

Does the creation of higher quality camera gear make photographers better?

Yes, better camera gear equals better photos. Better camera bodies can create higher resolution photos, perform better in poor lighting. Better camera lenses can also help create sharper photos.

No, better camera gear does not equal better photos. While better gear can help create sharper and higher resolution photos, it cannot create good composition, lighting or creativity. Better gear can assist a photographer but skills developed through learning ultimately make a good photograph.

My Opinion is that neither answer is perfectly right. I am somewhere in the middle but I lean more towards camera gear not making a photographer better. I think that a good photographer has creativity, good composition, lighting and photographic judgement regardless of the camera that they are using. These are skills that I don't think good gear can compensate for. I think that good camera gear can assist a good photographer to create higher resolution photos that are sharp but this does not necessarily make a photographer good.

Is it necessary to learn film photography?

Yes, film photography is the fundamentals of photography and allows new photographers to learn in a way that a lot of other people learned.

No, film photography is not necessary. It is easier to learn on digital cameras since you can actively see your progress.

My Opinion is that it shouldn't be required to learn film photography. I personally think that it is better to learn on digital cameras because you can see your progress in seconds and compare photos taken at different settings.

Background Information on my Survey

As creators, we have to understand the implications of each of the controversial topics listed above. Despite having our own opinions, we must acknowledge the opinions of others and use caution when we are faced with the issues that I presented.

The survey that I conducted consisted of 40 people from a variety of different fields. I wanted to include creative professionals and non-creative professionals because I think that these are issues that can impact people of all careers. While a lot of the questions that I talked about are dependent on the scenario, I think it is still valid data. I tried to find people of varying ages, anywhere from early twenties to late fifties. Below, you can see the results from my personal survey.