With social media filters redefining our expectations in photography, it can be tempting for photojournalists to compromise their organization’s integrity by over processing an image.
From Time’s darkened O.J. Simpson cover in 1994 to more recent controversial alterations, including a former Associated Press freelancer erasing a camera from a photograph of a Syrian opposition fighter, manipulated photos are problematic because they don’t accurately represent the facts. Though it’s sometimes difficult to identify a doctored photo, a digital trail, including metadata and a RAW file format, can usually confirm authenticity.
How much editing is allowed in photojournalism, and how much editing should be allowed? Tell us by commenting, or voting below.
Guest:
Sara Quinn, President of the Society for News Design and a Poynter visual journalism affiliate faculty member; she tweets from