Photo manipulation and the ethical dilemma

Here's An Idea: Stop Faking Photos

       Manipulating an image as been around almost since the start of photography, but it has changed dramatically during the digital age. The advancements in technology of both gear and computer software has made it easier to manipulate a digital image. In fact, it seems like digital photo manipulation has become so common that it's hard to detect if a photo is original or if its been doctored. The issue of ethics comes into play in regards to photojournalism and the media maintaining some form of photographic integrity.

        Photojournalists see good journalism as a form of democracy that's always on the front lines. It can only be considered good photojournalism if the photo is not staged and it captures the image in its true form. 

       Some simple rules of photojournalism and ethics:

• Don't change things
• Don't direct your photograph subjects or objects
• Don't lie in your captions in any way 
• Don't move or change the pixels
• Get it right and don't fake anything

      Posing a photograph was common during the beginning of photography and photojournalism. Photographs required people to stand still for long periods of time in order to avoid blurring the picture, but technology advanced rapidly over the next few decades. As cameras became able to stop motion, it resulted in a need for a set of ethical standards. This demanded accuracy in photographs for photojournalists.

      As photographs became more truthful in what they were capturing, it became easier and easier to manipulate the image. There are more cases of manipulated, doctored, and posed photographs today than ever before in the history of photography and photojournalism. It's a serious ethical dilemma.