Columnist Tim Rutten suggests that more people (and newspapers) should be talking about the ‘Reutersgate’ controversy, and recognizes Charles Johnson and the blogosphere for outing Adnan Hajj’s and others’ manipulated photos. Rutten says that the blogosphere "is being employed to help keep journalism honest ultimately is to everybody’s benefit."
Despite firing photographer Adnan Hajj, Reuters has kept relatively quiet during the photo scandals that have unfolded over the past few weeks. Here is a collection of the events, for those who haven’t been paying attention: Via Zombietime
To clarify it’s mistake listed in the link above, the New York Times has issued a correction:
A picture caption with an audio slide show on July 27 about an Israeli attack on a building in Tyre, Lebanon, imprecisely described the situation in the picture. The man pictured, who had been seen in previous images appearing to assist with the rescue effort, was injured during that rescue effort, not during the initial attack, and was not killed.
The correct description was this one, which appeared with that picture in the printed edition of The Times: After an Israeli airstrike destroyed a building in Tyre, Lebanon, yesterday, one man helped another who had fallen and was hurt.
As this goes on, we’ll see what Reuters has to say for itself.
This is a strong lede to a first-hand account of being a photographer in Gaza:
I love being a photographer. I doubt that I could possibly love it more. When I’m trying to compose an artful image out of the tattered remains of someone’s son, however, I start to wonder if maybe my job is a little strange.
It’s a big day for photojournalism ethics. First Schneider, then this.
Two photographs were stitched together to make it look as though police were just standing around as several prostitutes in Cuba were flaunting their goods on an inside page of Miami’s El Nuevo Herald newspaper, the spanish-speaking child of the Miami Herald. Photographer Roberto Koltun objected to his two photos being used in this way, but apparently his concerns were disregarded.
UPDATE: El Nuevo admits wrongdoing (Google translated page)
Patrick Schneider, the talented Charlotte Observer photographer who was reprimanded in 2003 for altering color and contrast of photos, was recently fired for the same offense.
In a clarification from C-O editor Rick Thames printed on July 28, Thames states:
The photo, taken by Observer photographer Patrick Schneider, appeared on the front of the Local & State section. It depicted a Charlotte firefighter on a ladder, silhouetted by the light of the early morning sun.
In the original photo, the sky in the photo was brownish-gray. Enhanced with photo-editing software, the sky became a deep red and the sun took on a more distinct halo.
And later he continues:
Because of the most recent violation of our photo policy, Schneider no longer works at the Observer.
We apologize for this misstep. Your trust is important to us. We will do all we can to ensure the integrity of all of our photos going forward.
Poynter link for past Schneider incident
C-O editorial (subscription may be required)
Lebanese photographer Layal Nagib was killed during the Israeli bombing of Cana in southern Lebanon while covering the violence for the magazine Al Jarass on July 22.
Reporters Without Borders story
A judge in Alaska illegally issued a search warrant for police to seize photos taken by an Anchorage Daily News photographer taken at a shooting scene. The newspaper was forced to turn over more than 100 photos from the scene, but after the police were contacted by the newspaper’s attorney and informed of the warrant violating federal law, the photos were returned.
I don’t like it, but apparently it’s finally here, and Mindy McAdams sure is convinced. The new generation of HD video cameras can produce screen grabs worthy of being printed in a newspaper. Looks like we’re going to need a lot more editors now that we’re shooting at 60 fps for minutes at a time.
Apparently 50 or so Washington Post reporters, mainly foreign correspondents, have been given video cameras with the intention of using the video for the newspaper’s website.
“We’ve always had the concept that reporters having video cameras out in the field would be useful,” says James Brady, executive editor of Washingtonpost.com. “We would buy the cameras and give them to reporters to shoot still pictures, record voice, or shoot video. It’s a triple-threat device. It adds a whole different dimension than you can get on the print side.”
He was detained anywhere from two to five days according to the various news reports, but at least now Ed Kashi has been released unconditionally.
UPDATE: CPJ condemns arrest
National Geographic photographer Ed Kashi was arrested by the Nigerian navy for taking pictures of an oil facility without permission and because "the area is volatile and he could have been kidnapped."
This is a fun, behing-the-scenes take on what it’s like to photograph the World Cup. There is plenty of insight about shooting the actual matches balanced by some funny off-the-pitch moments. Stuart Franklin jokes about being "embedded" with the Brazilian team, and Ross Kinnaird experiments with a blurring effect to keep himself awake at one of many press conferences.
Also World Cup related, but not having anything to do with photography…
Check out the World Development Movement’s team chooser that lets you pick who you think should win based on the economical and political situations of the various teams in the tournament. Maybe all the extra support from this website is what led Ghana to defeat Czech Republic yesterday.
Not really sure what to think of this new online magazine from Trent Nelson and Grayson West called NoTxt. After going through the site, it isn’t hard to figure out how they got their name.
Photos and art can have the ability to speak for themselves, but sometimes I’d like a little background info to go with the story. Even a little statement about the inspiration for each month’s work would suffice.
It almost seems a bit elitist for a photographer to think that his/her photos can stand up alone without any words to explain the situation. Am I missing something here?
On a positive note, I do really love many of the photos in the magazine. Those by Matt Eich and Ashley Francell really stand out.
We’ll wait to see if things stay the same for issue #2. The deadline to submit images is June 24.
This falls under the "don’t read the article if you’re not at all concerned about the future of professional photography" category. iStockphoto is charging a dollar for the same pictures that you would charge $100.
New Jersey aims to ban photography of "a power generation, waste treatment, public sewage, water treatment, public water, nuclear or flammable liquid storage facility, as well as any airport in the state." Getting caught doing so would be punishable by up to 18 months in jail. At the very least, the state wants to be able to detain photographers caught taking pictures of these places.
Geez, New Jersey. Paranoid?
UPDATE:
NPPA sends letter opposing bill
Bill shelved in committee
W magazine and Rolling Stone took the top prizes for photography in the 2006 National Magazine Awards. W won for its for July, September, October issues.
“Provocative and endlessly innovative, the arresting photography in W shatters the conventional boundaries of fashion imagery. It succeeds in bridging the gap between photography and contemporary art with a variety of visual styles that add up to maximum impact.”
Rolling Stone took the photo essay category for a piece about global warming shot by Sebastião Salgado in the November 17 issue.
“As part of an ambitious special report on global warming, Rolling Stone published a 14-page photo essay by Sabastião Salgado. “The Edge of the World,” takes readers on a journey to the solitary reaches of Antarctica and Patagonia where his passionate plea for the environment resulted in black and white images of startling drama.”
They’re mad as hell, and they’re not going to take it anymore!
Here is a group of forward-thinking PJs who have embraced technology and have their eye on the future. They call themselves "Gonzo Photojournalists," and according to their manifesto, they definitely have that ‘buck the system’ attitude. Screw AP style. Forget printing pictures on paper - they believe pictures look better illuminated on a computer screen anyway.
Their first product, a piece on the Nashville burlesque scene, incorporates audio, video and stills. It’s a good two and a half minute story that anyone in the world can enjoy.
Here’s an interesting piece from Radio Netherlands that has the photographers disecting their pictures.
As a technical note, there isn’t a pause button, so if you click "stop audio," you’ll have to start from the beginning to resume play.
RNW: What makes a good photograph?
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper ordered an airfield be shut down to prohibit viewing of coffins returning from Afghanistan. The PM says the ban will be permanent.
UPDATE: Here are a couple hundred more related articles from Google News
Here’s a spectacular example of creative journalistic storytelling. How many times have we read about the president making a stop at Someplace, USA and been bored out of our minds before we finish the third paragraph. Las Vegas has a bit different style than most places, and their newspaper has embraced it here. I guarantee you read this one to the end. Tiffany Brown did a great job of getting unique photos to illustrate the story.
*Note that multiple photos are linked from the top of the story.
Las Vegas Sun: Inside the bubble
This story from MSNBC.com purports that when the 1906 San Fran earthquake hit, droves of citizens took to the streets with their Brownie cameras documenting the destruction. I will not dispute that claim. I’ve seen lots of photos from lots of different angles. It was a well-documented event.
What I dispute is the moniker of "photojournalist" being applied to these folks. The article repeatedly calls them citizen photojournalists. Did they all have formal journalism training? Doubtful. Did they all work for a news publication? Probably not. So, MSNBC, what makes these curious citizens photojournalists?
It seems to me they’re just people taking pictures. Plain and simple.
This whole buzz of citizen journalism frequently fails to recognize the fact that there is more to journalism than being at a news event. Calling these citizens "photojournalists" or even "journalists" dilutes the journalism profession.
I’m not arguing the importance of citizens in the media. I am very interested in publications like Backfence or YourHub, but I think there needs to be a distinction between working journalists and observant citizens.
NBC: Quake spurred citizen photojournalism
The photo staff at the Dallas Morning News was awarded a Pulitzer in breaking news photography for its "vivid photographs depicting the chaos and pain after Hurricane Katrina engulfed New Orleans."
And the Rocky Mountain News’ Todd Heisler won yet another award, claiming the Pulitzer for feature photography for his coverage of Colorado marines returning home from battle in caskets.
Both winners aren’t the least bit surprising and are very, very well deserved.
Complete winners list
DMN article (subscription required) and the Pulitzer entry (no subscription required)
RMN article
Renowned documentary photographer Eugene Richards, now formerly from Magnum, has been named the newest member of VII agency.
Lightstalkers :: Eugene Richards joins VII
VII Agency
Here’s a good photo/audio slideshow from the New York Times’ Fred Conrad. The story shows how baseball isn’t just the national past time of the US. It amazes me every time I see pictures from Havana how old fashioned everything looks. Part of me feels sad for the residents who don’t have the opportunities for advancement, but part of me still thinks it is refreshing to see such a simple, untechnological way of life. As Conrad states, Cubans are passionate and proud people, especially when it comes to baseball.
Thomas Abercrombie, a longtime National Geographic photographer best known for his work in the Middle East, passed away following heart surgery.
Here is a great group of photos and audio from the LA Times photographer Rick Loomis. Some of the images are fairly graphic, but it’s good to see such great access.
From the LA Times site:
Reporter David Zucchino and photographer Rick Loomis spent several weeks in October and November embedded with Army and Air Force medical units in Baghdad and Balad, Iraq, and with two Army air ambulance medical companies at the Balad military air base north of Baghdad. This series, The Lifeline, is the result of those assignments.
To balance my other post today about citizen journalists, or ‘journazens’ as I like to call them, here is a story about the good things that can come from bloggers and the like:
In another political photo controversy today, California congressional candidate Howard Kaloogian was exposed by a group of bloggers to have used a photo of an Istanbul street on his Web site claiming it was taken in Baghdad. Even worse, Kaloogian used the photo as an example of how things were returning to normal in the war-torn city. Kaloogian blames his webmaster for mixing up the photos.
San Diego Union Tribune article
The Boston Herald published Justice Scalia’s controversial hand gesture on its front page today. For those not familiar with the story, read this. The Herald even talked to ‘The Sopranos’ star Joseph Gannascoli, AKA Vito Spatafore, who said it was an obscenity. I’ll admit that I’m a bit rusty on my studies of Sicilian hand gestures, but I’d have to lean on the side of obscene on this one. For a Supreme Court justice, regardless of obscene or not, it is certainly inappropriate. Click on the thumbnail to view a larger version of the page.
UPDATE: The church has apparently fired the photographer, who had freelanced for the church’s newspaper for a decade, for releasing the photo to the Herald.
The church newspaper editor explains the firing:
“It’s nothing personal,” added Pilot editor Antonio Enrique. “I need to try and find people I can trust.”
Interesting article by Michael McNamara, executive technology editor for Popular Photography magazine. McNamara basically says anyone can take a picture, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a photographer. This concept is particularly important in this time when citizen "journalism" is starting to catch on. Some sort of distinction needs to be made between fully-trained journalists and citizen journalists. Maybe someone will invent a catchy new word for citizen journalists and citizen photographers that would help clarify things a bit. Citijourns? Journazens? Photojournazens?
UPDATE: And it’s articles and headlines like this that irk me a bit. No, having a camera phone does not in fact make you a photojournalist.
Mr. Laforet has posted the automator script and some detailed instructions in this SportsShooter message board thread. Turns out Apple had a little more to do with his Olympics workflow than I had originally believed.
The New York Times has recapped the finally-concluded saga between a man who sued a street photographer for selling his image. The photographer won the case.
Following in the footsteps of POYi, the Association of Photographers has announced their yearly awards. Interesting choices. Everything seems very European, if that helps with the description and isn’t too offensive.
About the contest:
The AOP Photographers’ Awards were launched in 1983 and over the years have grown to become one of the highest accolades within the professional photographic industry. Over 3,500 images are submitted annually by AOP members and the work is judged purely as photographs by a panel of highly respected professionals, including photographers and commissioners from advertising agencies, design groups and magazines. Competition is tough and the high esteem in which the judges hold the awards, and the high standards they have maintained over the years, make the Gold, Silver and – from this year - Bronze awards extremely precious to the photographers who receive them.
British photojournalists weigh in on who they look up to. No pictures, but it’ll at least give you some names to Google if you haven’t heard of these people already.
Forbes has compiled a list with photos of the most dangerous countries in the world. As expected Iraq and Afghanistan made the cut. Several African nations - Sudan, Liberia, Ivory Coast, etc. - also made the list. Forbes gives some rather obvious tips about what to pack if planning a trip to one of these countries:
We cross-referenced the resulting 14 countries with the Travel Warnings published by the State Department as part of its Consular Information Program. If you plan to visit any of them, we hope you get plenty of danger pay, are equipped with the latest body armor and have an excellent life insurance policy.
New York Times contract photographer Vincent Laforet estimated that before shooting digital, he spent 15 percent of his work time actually making pictures. After digital, that time dropped to 5 percent. Looking to reclaim that 10 percent of shooting time at this year’s winter Olympics, Laforet changed his workflow by hiring an editing/transmitting assistant and using Apple’s photo editing software Aperture.
Eager to optimize his chances for getting the story in Turin, Laforet decided to create a new digital workflow that would keep him behind the camera as much as possible. It was very much an attempt to restore in his cover strategy the primary shooting responsibility of the traditional analog news photographer, whose job was generally finished when he handed off a roll of film.
Is it just me, or was hiring the assistant a bigger factor in saving time than using Apple Aperture? Who cares what software the assistant was using? Laforet certainly didn’t. He was too busy shooting. As long as the best photos got transferred back to the newspaper, what does it matter if the editor is using Photo Mechanic or Aperture? I think we’d all be able to increase our shooting time if we had a personal editor to do all the tedious work while we shoot pictures.
Another great photographer has passed away recently. Gordon Parks, best known as a photographer for his work dealing with poverty for LIFE magazine and as a filmmaker for directing "Shaft," died today. He was 93.
New York Times photographer Doug Mills talks about shooting the Olympics and shares some of his favorite images and moments from the games.
The Birmingham News has published work of its photographers from the civil rights movement. Wow. Definitely worth checking out.
The section is the result of research by Alexander Cohn, a 30-year-old former photo intern at The News. In November 2004, Cohn went through an equipment closet at the newspaper in search of a lens and saw a cardboard box full of negatives marked, “Keep. Do Not Sell.”
POYi results are going up as each category is judged. I’ve got to give a big congrats to my co-worker Fred Squillante who won an award of excellence for the portrait category for this picture.
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