Photoshop: Should there be rules?

Those who disagree with digital manipulation believe that outlawing or regulating the use of Photoshop would solve the problems of unethical journalism. However, photojournalists are professionals, not children. Photojournalists should use their professional experience to determine how much digital manipulation is appropriate, therefore regulating their own Photoshop use. 

Journalism and mass media appeal to the needs and wants of consumers. Since the public wants to achieve the same level of perfection as the models that are plastered across billboards, the use of Photoshop is necessary to give the public the perfection that it desires. We have no issue with the obvious lies that magazines and newspapers feed us through their manipulated, untruthful images. We have created an animal-- we thrive off of being lied to by the publications that we consider trustworthy, therefore forcing unethical journalism to occur. 

However, there is a delicate balance between pleasing a consumer who wants utter perfection and accurately representing a world that is not perfect. It seems like photojournalists are fighting a losing battle. Pleasing the people often means lying to them and conducting unethical journalism; however, publishing accurate yet unflattering photos results in a displeased audience. This raises the question of which standard a photojournalist should follow: please the public or represent the product?

While the concept of selling perfection has existed for decades, it has become majorly overblown with the advent of digital manipulation. Suddenly every shirt fits perfectly with the simple click of a button and with a slight movement of a mouse, an already emaciated model loses ten more pounds. While these photo manipulations can be harmless and simply provide a more effective manner to sell a product, there is a fine line between accuracy and over-manipulation that must be observed.

Ralph Lauren recently published the above image of an obviously manipulated model. Although the advertisement was never published in the United States, photos of the ridiculous Photoshop disaster circulated around the web. The controversy surrounding the image forced Ralph Lauren to release a statement acknowledging the distorted image, apologizing for the overzealous Photoshop job and stating that they still were a brand based on “quality and integrity.” 

However, publishing such a ridiculous picture is not an act of integrity by any means. Rather, this is an example of unethical journalism and the inaccurate representation of a product. While the blame can be placed on Ralph Lauren for allowing the advertisement to be printed, the true issue with the situation is the fact that a photojournalist actually created the image. The photojournalist who edited the advertisement did not uphold his duty to the public and conducted irresponsible and unethical journalism. 

Recently, Egypt’s government-run newspaper, the Al-Ahram, published a picture of several world leaders including Egyptian president and President Obama. The original photograph shows the five world leaders walking in the White House with President Obama leading the group. However, the photo that was published in Al-Ahram was digitally manipulated to feature Egypt’s president leading the group.

While the manipulated image did not run in American presses, it still caused slight distrust for the media across the world. With this new digital technology, photographs can be altered to such an extreme point that an event that never actually happened can be created in a photograph.While this issue raised questions about what other false photographs had been printed in the news, the photograph is an example of entirely unacceptable and irresponsible journalism. To change the location of a politician from walking at the back of a group to leading a group absolutely misrepresents the event. 

Whatever the agenda of the paper, the photojournalist that altered the photograph is the one to blame. As a professional, it is their job to stand up and put limits on how far is too far and how much manipulation is too much manipulation.Photojournalists are trained professionals, and any respectable photojournalist knows the appropriate guidelines for photo manipulation. While some photojournalists conduct unethical behavior, this is not the case with photojournalism across the world. Photojournalists must uphold these standards as the public is forced to trust photographers for an accurate representation of events and products.

Journalism professionals do not need a parental figure telling them when its time to put down the mouse and turn in for the night. It is the journalist’s responsibility and ethical duty to conduct ethical journalistic practices, accurately representing products and stories in the advertising and journalism fields of mass media. If we trust photojournalists to provide information for an event, we must also trust them to regulate their own Photoshop use.