The NPPA Ethics Committee has compiled a collection of “Ethics Matters” columns that originally appeared in News Photographer Magazine over the past six plus years. It is hoped that this compilation will be a resource for students and professionals alike. Each column is listed by the date it first appeared and is headed by a concise summary for ease of research. Photos are included for columns that had photos in the original publication.
April, 2012
The recent use of an HDR image by a newspaper set off a debate on the propriety of using the new techniques made possible by Photoshop. This led to an examination of the age-old concept of the “Decisive Moment” and its meaning in the era of computational photojournalism.
Manipulated Photos End With Firing
March, 2012
This column details the controversy that ended with the dismissal of Bryan Patrick from the Sacramento Bee for combining two photos in order to make one better photograph.
January–February, 2012
This ethics column ran in the News Photographer Magazine dedicated to the issues surrounding freelancing.
September, 2011
This column attempts to help photojournalists work their way through the process of making a tough ethical decision. The information in this column is very practical for anyone wrestling with competing values.
August, 2011
When is a photo illustration a lie and when is it just an illustration?
May, 2011
The aftermath of the revelation that the photos of President Obama announcing that Osama bin Laden had been killed were recreations.
March, 2011
Part three of a three part examination of “Truth” in photojournalism. It focuses on the power of the real photograph.
February, 2011
Part two of a three part examination of “Truth” in photojournalism. It deals with honesty, accuracy and the meaning of the word “truth”.
January, 2011
Part one of a three part examination of “Truth” in photojournalism. It focuses on the reality behind the image.
This Time, Editors are the Problem
July, 2010
Some editors do not have the same respect for the photograph as they have for the written word and have been the problem behind a series of ethical mistakes.
March, 2010
This is a column on the importance of words and pictures working together. Both need to be treated with equal respect.
March, 2010
Compassion for your subjects is a necessity for photojournalists.
February, 2010
One of the most basic dilemmas that photojournalists ever face is the conflict between making photographs and putting the camera down to help people in need. This is one person’s opinion.
January, 2010
The photographic process is simple. This is an examination of ethics of photojournalism based on the simple chemical reactions of photography.
September, 2009
The definitive study of ethics in the emerging world of multimedia photojournalism.
August, 2009
Editors need to be more vigilant in vetting photographs. The most useful tool in an editor’s bag is a healthy skepticism. They also need respect for the work that photographers produce.
July, 2009
A discussion of the differences between a point of view, advocacy journalism and propaganda.
June, 2009
All photographers need to learn from those who go before us how to live as decent human beings and have respect for those we photograph.
Danish Debate Leads to Disqualification
May, 2009
The use of HDR technology and other Photoshop techniques leads to disqualification in a Danish photojournalism contest. What are the limits to processing images? What is accurate and what is extreme?
February, 2009
Photojournalism is more than striking images. True photojournalism demands understanding in depth the story we are telling and being as fair as we can as we tell the story.
January, 2009
An examination of the word “truth” and how it means different things to different people. “Accuracy” is a better word to describe what photojournalists aspire to.
July, 2008
Phuzzle is one of the many brain-teasers based on comparing photographs, one of which has been modified in five or ten ways. Is it appropriate to use documentary photos in these games?
HDR Photography, Evolution, & Ethics
April, 2008
High Dynamic Range photography is one of the new, controversial techniques available to photojournalists today. This column examines the evolution of thought on this process.
February, 2008
It’s the age-old question many photojournalists have faced at one time or another: “What do I do now — keep shooting and document a piece of history, or maybe help save a life that’s hanging in the balance?”
January, 2008
This was an initial examination of the ethical problems faced by still photographers who were now being asked shoot video. It is a little dated but does lay out the issues concisely.
November, 2007
Should a photojournalist help police in civil disturbances and non-life threatening crime events? This is an especially important column for small town photographers.
October, 2007
When photojournalists are faced with competing “goods” how do you make the decision which “good” is the more important one? Is it more important to run a manipulated photo or not run the photo at all? What is your value system?
September, 2006
In journalism we need to respect the documentary photograph the way we respect the written word.
April, 2006
The economic uncertainty of the future of photojournalism and the evolving nature of photography itself has caused much nervousness among photographers, especially among young photographers.
Archived Ethics Matters columns from Dr. Paul Martin Lester