Assignment 3

The difference and similarities of Press and Art photography

Press photography are photos that report various events and informs the audience about facts (like in the news and history books). Only acceptable change is to improve the quality without changing the contents and facts. The principles of journalism is: timeliness, accuracy, fair representation of the context of events and facts reported, and accountability to the public. With these points, the audience can see and believe what is actually happening at the time it happened. This is also similar to Art photography although I believe that art photography can be altered more to best suit with the photographer’s vision creating imagination for you to view it in their perspective, it doesn’t have to be within a time frame or accuracy but it is enhanced in a way to pin point a vision or memory.

 This press picture is taken by me when I went to Vietnam in the summer 2011, this shows how different the culture life is in Vietnam and here in Canada. The majority of people commuting is by scooter, this is also the year the government enforced all people riding scooters to wear a helmet. The reason why some people cover their face is because it's dusty.

This press picture is of a worker in Vietnam that I see every afternoon taking his afternoon nap. Whether you are working or just at home everyone in Vietnam takes afternoon naps.

This art photo is of Vietnam culture, the surroundings of buildings, people, stores that looks different from here. I'll also like to point out the landscaping that made me realize ordinary things can look beautiful if you pay attention to the details.

This art photo is at the Korean Airport, unlike our Canadian Airport this Ariport has a big unique slanted windows which I found very interesting, I really liked the shadowy parts with intensified the slanted windows and puts your focus towards that.

Is it ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs? Why? Why not?

Yes because it is art, you can enhance the meaning of the photo to make a point stand out, customize it to express yourself, more unique to describe you. I like art and taking pictures but a lot of pictures are the same as others but can be a different meaning so to express it visually I can alter the photo more uniquely to best express me. That’s why artists has a vision and creates a photo to get you to see the artist’s vision as well. Like Cartier Bresson everyone has their own style in taking photos, in his way he calls it “the decisive moment” and same goes for Kertesz who believes he has to be invisible to take pictures. Now a days it is so easy with the technology to capture and alter photos to our liking.  

Is it ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs? Why? Why not?

Based on the readings for week 9 it says the only acceptable change is to improve the quality without changing the contents and facts. The role is to report to the audience about facts and various events and by altering the pictures you may change the audiences belief in them. Altering photos can change the facts, moods, emotions and true meaning about them and viewing press photographs as a photo with facts, it will no longer be accurate.

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Resources

Week 9 readings, Week 10 slides, Readings2.pdf in week 10