Reading Reflection - Distorted Picture

When people think about how Photoshop is abused by media corporations, the most think about how advertisers alter model’s bodies to create unrealistic expectations for beauty. Look no further than a week ago when Kim Kardashian and Paper Magazine attempted to “Break the Internet,” which drew multiple instances of criticism.

However, beauty magazines are not the only media providers we should be worried about. In “Distorted Picture,” Sherry Ricchiardi explains the growing concern over photojournalistic ethics. Multiple photographers have been caught altering their photographs with Photoshop to make them more visually appealing. These changes vary from small, distracting details – like removing a c person’s feet in the background, to more concerning cases, like darkening a cloud of smoke to make a fire look more severe.

Ricchiardi’s article raises some important points to consider for modern photojournalistic ethics.  To begin with, there must be a public concern over photo-editing for change to take place. Ricchiardi notes how bloggers have acted as watch dogs to uncover edits to published photographs. The photo community can voice when they believe ethics have been breached, such as when National Geographic edited an image of the pyramids of Giza to fit their magazine cover in 1982. Furthermore, there must be reconstruction within the field of journalism to raise ethical standards. Ricchiardi points out how the troubled financial state of newspapers has led to increased pressure for dramatic images, while the transition within photo departments

My personal favorite of all the Photoshop edits

from group to individual labor has made it difficult to oversee production. In order to increase the ethical standards of photojournalists, news providers must consider these issues.

I believe the problems and solutions raised in Ricchiardi’s article are applicable to any kind of concern over photo-editing. Whether it be an altered newspaper image, magazine model, or government-released photograph, responsibility lies on both the public and these entities producing images to be careful and critical. Ricchiardi’s article was made in 2007, and we can already see how the public has critiqued the images presented by authorities. Reading through the KnowYourMeme entry on Kim Kardashian’s Paper Magazine cover reveals how many people ridicule the absurdity of this image. While Photoshop is a tool for some to change images for the worse, this same tool allows others to fight back.

Bibliography:

Ricchiardi, S. (2007). DISTORTED PICTURE. American Journalism Review, 29(4), pp. 36-43.