The Camera Doesn't Lie

The manipulation of photos through image editing software is nothing new but it is still a problem both morally and legally. The NPPA’s code of ethics says, photographers should “not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.” Arguably the most famous example of photo manipulation is the photo of OJ Simpson in Time Magazine. The photo edited by Time magazine made Simpson appear to have darker skin and facial hair. This aimed to make him look more like a killer and guilty of the act. Aside from the moral issues that arise here when the edited photo could change the complete outcome of a man’s life there are also legal issues that carry with editing a photo and using it as their own. Another example of an altered photo that holds some moral issues is a bombing photo. A photo was slightly altered to make the black smoke and bombing damage by Israeli warplanes appear darker. The photo no longer conveys the truth that should be the number one objective of a photo journalist. A photo like this is only a small change but it is still no longer the truth. We need to be able to have trust in our photo journalists so that we can believe the photos we are seeing are real. This issue goes beyond just photos. Deep fakes are a new emerging issue that allows not only photos to be edited but audio and video as well. The best example of this is comedian Jordan Peele posing as Barack Obama in a YouTube video. The video shows him saying things that the former president would never say in front of the camera. The use of deep fakes are scary considering just how closely they appear to be real and to someone uneducated the information they receive could prove to be harmful.

There are photos online that show famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln’s head on another man’s body. While the image may be comical it is also morally wrong. This could be seen as offensive to alter a photo of a famous president. This also messes with people who are trying to do research on Abraham Lincoln, who would believe that photo to be accurate. There are also issues that arise in using these types’ photos for personal gain that web designers need to be wary of. It is on them to recognize what photos have been altered with and not publish them as their own. This also goes for them not editing photos of their own to gain from them. An example of this could be photo shopping a famous figure to have been somewhere or done something that would attract business or some sort of benefit from it. As long as the rules are followed then everyone wins but in this day and age we simply have to take initiative and trust photos from credible sources.