Thoughts that help you start:
Like numerous amazing tools people invented in human history, Photoshop is one unprecedented and powerful tool in digital imaging.
Many wonderful tools we use everyday are actually like two-edge swords, which have good and bad effects on us. For example, the explosives can be used to dig tunnels and open up roads in the mountains; but they can also be used by thieves to blow up safe in the banks and, even more horrifying, to kill thousands of people in a split second.
Many of you should have already noticed Photoshop’s possible good or bad effects on our image culture. Here, let me refresh your minds:
In photojournalism, images of actual event are digitally removed, altered or added to create a strong impact when describing a news event.
In historical photography, historical people or elements are digitally removed, altered or added to suit the historical documentation.
In public relations photography, people or scenes are digitally removed, altered or added to support the ideology of an organization.
In advertising photography, people or products are digitally removed, altered or added to lure customers to buy the product.
In wildlife photography, animals or habitat are digitally removed, altered or added to satisfy the needs of curious eyes.
In nature photography, landscapes or vegetations are digitally removed, altered or added to achieve the unfinished work of the mighty God.
In scientific photography, microorganisms or colors of light wave are digitally removed, altered or added to prove the existence of certain data from scientific experiments.
In fine art photography, elements in photos are arbitrarily digitally removed, altered or added to achieve the effect the artists’ pursuit without the consideration of viewers’ reasonable expectation.
In personal photography, World’s Seven Greatest Wonders are digitally added to the background of people’s photo albums. Absentees of wedding ceremonies can get back in line in the group photo.
The list is continuously developing. How is Photoshop affecting our image culture? Is credibility in photography still worth a dime? What problems would arise from different categories of photography? Should there be a difference in the rules of practicing Photoshop in different kinds of photography? Where should we draw the line? What is the rationale of the arguments? Is there anything we can do to resolve the problem? What is your opinion as a digital imaging practitioner? These questions above and the answers to them sum up the purpose of our paper.
Don’t worry! You don’t have to come up with all the answers. They are all out there. You just have to look for them and give some thoughts of your own about them. Your paper will benefit yourself and many present and future digital imaging practitioners.
This paper is to be done in three parts (constitutes 5% of your total grade):
Part I (Oral report, due 2/27, 10% of the paper grade): Topic Discovery.
From those mentioned categories of photography in class, select 2 categories to explore and describe the concerns of digital manipulation from the professionals in those fields. Cite at least one publicly known example from each category to support your findings. Five minutes presentation.
Part II (3 pages, due 3/20, 80% of the paper grade): Analysis and Conclusion.
From the 2 categories in part I, select one category that most interests you and elaborate on it in more depth. You need to cite at least 2 actual and publicly known examples in the field. In each case, you need to do the following:
Part III (due in class on 3/20, 10% of the paper grade): Presentation.
Prepare a ten-minute presentation on your findings and answer questions from the floor.
Format of the written paper:
This paper needs to be at least 3 pages in typed form, double spaced, 12-point Times, with 1 inch margin on all sides. When you cite cases, examples or repeat someone else’s wordings, you need to cite the sources. Don’t worry, I don’t require a scholastic style, but you need to make the references clear and complete. Please turn in your paper to the turn-in folder.
You need to list at least 3 different sources from which you find your discussion materials. If you find your sources online, you need to list the web address of the page. If it is a publication, it needs to have the page number, date of the publication and name of the publication. Use reliable sources such as materials from professional organization, established publication or academic institutes. Do not cite or use materials from private discussion group or personal blogs.
You need to write your paper. This means after you read, understood, and recognized the relevance of the materials, use your own wordings to tell your findings and opinion. DO NOT CUT and PASTE from your source. If you cite an important quote, put quotation mark and mention the source of the quote next to it. Simply “cut and paste” is plagiarism. You will be dropped from my class if you do that.
Sample report:
Ethics in digital manipulation (Photoshoping)
DigitalCustom Group on photo restoration guideline
http://www.digitalcustom.com/howto/restorationguidelines.asp
Poynter institute photo manipulation guidelines on news media
http://www.poynter.org/content/content_print.asp?id=46964&custom=
Photo Tempering cases throughout history
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/farid/research/digitaltampering/
DigitalPhotojournalist.org guidlines
http://www.digitalphotojournalist.org/information2.html
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) guidelines
http://www.nanpa.org/committees/ethics/manip_intro.html
A discussion of digital manipulation on nature photography on The Atlantic Online.
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/98may/photo.htm
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) guidelines
http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/digitalethics.html
A real estate agent’s discussion on Photoshoping real estate photos (advertising)
http://activerain.com/blogsview/201892/Photography-101-The-Ethics-of-Digital-Manipulation
Cases on digital manipulation:
Photojournalism
Ohio photojournalist Allan Detrich altered 58 news photos in one year
L. A. Times photographer Brian Walski composed two photos taken at Iraqi war zone to one photo.
Historical photo
In 2004, a fake photo of John Kerry and Jane Fonda appeared at an anti-war rally together was published.
Public relation, promotional photo
University of Wisconsin at Madison digitally inserted a black student to a photo on a brochure cover.
Advertising photo
In 2001, National Capital Commission published a brochure for the city of Ottawa of Canada with altered landscape and background structures that does not exist in the real scene.
Scientific photography
Missouri University professor R. Michael Roberts altered image collected in scientific research.
Nature photography
Nature photographer Art Wolfe combines photos of wild animals taken at different time and location to one single photo without mentioning the manipulation while displaying the photo.