DB Week 12: The impact of digital technology on photography

How digital technology changed the role of photography in the society?

The role of photography in society is to capture the innate qualities of any given subject and create memories of those once in a lifetime non-recurring events. Digital technology not only makes things a lot easier to operate modern camera-related devices and process images, it allows users to create imaginative scenarios never thought of before. For instance, digital enhancements on cameras will allow users to adjust the lighting effects on shots taken (white balance), and will allow users to explore the different scene options like indoor mode, portrait, and black and white modifications.

Unlike the one dimensional function of capturing images just the way they are, digital technology opens up doors to a number of innovative ways to express an image thus developing the creative mind state of the photographer. In other words, photographers are lured in to explore the degrees of how a photo can be taken under the influence of the popular digital technology.     

What has been the impact of digital photography on journalism?

“Smaller, lighter cameras greatly enhanced the role of the photojournalist. Since the 1960s, motor drives, electronic flash, auto-focus, better lenses and other camera enhancements have made picture taking easier. New digital cameras free photojournalists from the limitation of film roll length, as thousands of images can be stored on a single memory card.”

Content remains the most important element of photojournalism, but the ability to extend deadlines with rapid gathering and editing of images has brought significant changes. As recently as 15 years ago, nearly 30 minutes were needed to scan and transmit a single color photograph from a remote location to a news office for printing. Now, equipped with a digital camera, a mobile phone and a laptop computer, a photojournalist can send a high-quality image in minutes, even seconds after an event occurs. Camera phones and portable satellite links increasingly allow for the mobile transmission of images from almost any point on the earth. Even a regular citizen can assume the role of a news reporter by simply recording any breaking news when the opportunity arises. News broadcast stations are now encouraging citizens to record any citing they might have come across to assist awareness and feed news stories to the News station.

There is some concern by news photographers that the profession of photojournalism as it is known today could change to such a degree that it is unrecognizable as image-capturing technology naturally progresses. Citizen journalism and the increase in user contribution and submission of amateur photos to news sites are becoming more widespread. Overall, the impact of digital photography on journalism in essence is the ability for non-professional photojournalists to participate in the practice with limited amounts of skill, making the profession fun and interestingly captivating.



Assignment 4 Virtual Essay

Throughout this course, we have been given the opportunity to explore the different works of many talented and creative photographers. Names like Dorothea Lange, Richard Avedon, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Andre Kertesz now have some sort of significance in regards to photography. After close consideration of all these styles and different approaches, one photographer has opened doors of my ongoing curiosity of how important photography really is. Finding fragile beauty that endures the changing landscape of the American West despite the troublesome relationship with nature and society, Robert Adams incorporates meaningful cultural shifts and lifestyles. Adam's concept of capturing these moments has inspired me to view the fast changing world as fascinating episodes of perceived elegance.

 

These photos have reminded me of the works of Adams through his visionary concept of the ever changing landscape in co-relation with human interaction. "Adams’s art is devoted to the belief that all land, no matter what has been done to it, retains an enduring significance best expressed through a straightforward approach." I have chosen this set of photos because they all capture what Adams values most, the landscape and the emotional impact it creates thus describing a single picture in a thousand words. In addition, little or nothing has been done to these images mainly focusing on the simplicity of what a still frame can contribute.

Spanning left to right, the first photograph represents a mixture of urban development, if you will; it's almost like taking the basic foundation of an area and forming it into work of non-imaginary outcomes. The second photograph highlights the significance of social classes and the recognition of real life and commercial activity; I believe that there is a degree of an oxymoron being portrayed between that of the rich and the poor. The third photograph observes the change in lifestyle with the idea that beauty can be in the 'backyard' of one's home. The fourth photograph includes a person looking out into what was once the location of the Twin Towers. This photograph captures both aspects of Adam's work. Simply describing this photo as Ground Zero may be an understatement. Attached with significant importance, this photo represents the whole New York and its citizens despite the events of 9/11; the city still possesses its authentic nature through its signature 'concrete jungle'. Finally the fifth photo captures the beauty within the urban scene where most may see it as an industrial property; some may view it as architecture at its best. The theme is almost recapturing the historical presence of the city's life.  

 

In conclusion, I feel that Adams wanted to let people figure out that simple things should not be neglected or be taken advantage of. Adams collection includes a scenic widescreen of the American West landscapes hand in hand with the shifts and changes in societal environments. The images presented above have similarities that lie in the meaningfulness of each event given the value of the landscape and through Adam’s way of approaching each of his photographs would have potentially been impacted:

 

“His work was included in an exhibition titled New Topographics: Photographs of Man-Altered Landscape, curated by William Jenkins for the International Museum of Photography, Rochester, New York in 1975. The exhibition ushered in the new era of landscape photography and it showcased the ideals of the new approach: landscape could not be artificially separated from cultural and social counterparts, and landscape photography had to abandon the hollow sense of style it had inherited from the previous half century. The exhibit was a milestone for a new generation of landscape photographers and it drew attention to the novel idea of a social landscape.”

 

Works Cited

"Robert Adams." Museum of Contemporary Photography, 2005-2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010.   <http://www.mocp.org/collections/permanent/adams_robert.php>.

"Robert Adams The Place We Live ." A Retrospective Selection of Photographs. Yale University Art Gallery, 2010. Web. 3 Dec 2010. <http://artgallery.yale.edu/adams/>.

Alterations in Journalistic Photography

Photojournalism's objective is to present news via media broadcasting. It is a form of a collection of news for the general public. In photojournalism, photographs help keep record of events in history and help bring more to a story with an image than word of mouth. Photographers have the ability to capture a moment in time that could possibly provide insight perhaps more meaning to others about the situation. Since the general public depends entirely on the feedback from these photographs, the material must be transparent and free of personal benefit. In other words, alterations are restricted in providing a livelier story to promote one side than the other. Alterations may be made only if it addresses to the brightness of the image or to the reduction of blur spots. Any addition or removal of any content associated with the photograph is strictly prohibited because it defeats the whole purpose of capturing stories right then and there. 

 Photojournalism is an effective tool in sculpting the society around us. Take for instance the method of propaganda. This form of communication is very influential that it will eventually gear people to act differently toward others whether for better or for worst. Overall, the photographs taken by photojournalists are taken respectively according to the event at that point in time. If alterations in journalistic photography were allowed, the truth behind the photos will lose its value and will lose the trust and loyalty of the public. That is why it is very important to stress that photo manipulation is an improper practice in photojournalism. If we were to envision the potential impact of alterations, we could imagine that one documented photograph may be viewed by thousands, each interpreting the news story. Imagine the impact on the some odd thousand people if the photograph was tampered with and manipulated for personal gain.

DB 6 - Documenting the great depression

The Great Depression is remembered by the immense crash of the stock markets causing numerous, countless amount of families to change their living conditions almost instantly.

The Farm Security Administration was created in the Department of Agriculture in 1937. The FSA and its predecessor, the Resettlement Administration (RA), were New Deal programs designed to assist poor farmers during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.

In addition, The Office of War Information (OWI) was created in 1942 and served as an important U.S. government propaganda agency during World War II. During 1942 and 1943, the OWI contained two photographic units: (1) a section headed by Roy Emerson Stryker and (2) the News Bureau (the units were merged during 1943). The photographers in both units documented America's mobilization during the early years of World War II, concentrating on such topics as aircraft factories and women in the workforce.

The people of the Great Depression were desperate and needed any source of assistance therefore the impact of the project had a huge influence. Families were documented through photography capturing the shared struggles of each social class creating some sort of togetherness of those who were affected by the depression.

In the case of the Migrant Mother photograph in the period or great depression, her role demonstrated the life of a struggling single mom whose only job was to protect, feed, and care for her children. During that time, it was frowned upon for women to engage in the workforce while the men were viewed as the predominant figure in providing for the family. Now-a-days, women in the workplace are increasing and are encouraged to strive in almost all areas of profession traditionally overuled by men.

Assignment 1 Photo Journal PART 2

Press photographs can be easily linked to photojournalism. These so called 'press photos' are captured by photojournalists who are driven by his/her own instinct to unveil stories not yet informed by many curious news seekers. Cartier-Bresson's prevailing ethic states: Instinct always triumphs over mind. "You mustn't know too much," he says, describing how he captures "the decisive moment" on film. "There's nothing to know. Cats know more than human beings on the subject. Cats sniffle: sniff-sniff. Intuition. People use brains too much. Brains are not used for making love."

 I have chosen to focus on the unbelievable yet troublesome riots that have been going on for some time now in Greece. These unfortunate events have been illuminated and brought to public view via media which fits its categorical family of press photographs. These photographers had the need to spread the distinct animosity shared among the Greek and their Government.

Art Photography by definition refers to "photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist. Art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism, which provides visual support for stories, mainly in the print media".

I have chosen the works of Noah Abrams, a spectacular Los Angeles based photographer specializing in documentary portraiture.

The differences that exist between the photos are the ideas behind the photos and timeliness. Press photographs capture the light, color, movement, and subjects without outside influences whereas Art photography generates most of its photos based on the imagination and manipulation of the artist . The photos of the Greek riots were taken as they are. The emotions of people, the actions of the people and the violence at hand are captured; all of which have occurred naturally. The photos of Abrams display a clash of adventure and creativity that he had created himself through his visions and photo enhancements to provide emphasis on his subjects.

The similarities that the photos have in common are the need for exposure and reputation. The Greek riots would have less of an impact on far away countries if not supported and documented through press photography. The art that Abrams demonstrates through his work exposes the beauty of simple objects and how it can shift an observer’s imagination elsewhere.

Like Cartier-Bresson, these photographers felt a sense of rhythm and a sense of life…a sense of liberty. You could catch that with a camera.

Works Cited

Abrams, Noah. "Skateistan."
 
     Noah Abrams Photography. Web. 2010.

     <http://www.noahabrams.com/>.  

Friend, David. "Cartier-Bresson's Decisive Moment."
 
     The Digital Journalist. Dec 2004.  Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

     <http://webct.georgebrown.ca/webct/urw/lc2044122001.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct>.

Messinis, Dimitri. "Photos From Greek Riots."
 
     A Day In Picture. 6 Dec 2009.  Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

     <http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/galleries/2009/dec/06/day-pictures---december-6-2009/15255/#section_header>.

"Fine Art Photography."
 
     Wikipedia. 15 Nov 2010.  Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_art_photography>.

DB 9 - Presentation Week 9: Shooting the truth: Photojournalism

Photojournalism’s role is to provide images that capture events linked with reporting of news in media such as print newspapers, magazines, television news and internet reporting. The influence of photography used in news reports has become an integral part of reporting to the public that a story without photographs to a contemporary audience feels incomplete, as though they were only getting half the story. Consumers depend on photojournalists to connect them to far-away realities by provided images based on timeliness, accuracy, fair representation of the context of events and facts reported, and accountability to the public. 

Photojournalists have to adhere to a set of code of ethics s intended to promote the highest quality in all forms of visual journalism and to strengthen public confidence in the profession. It is also meant to serve as an educational tool both for those who practice and for those who appreciate photojournalism. If photojournalists do not follow these set of ethics, the practice itself of representing the truth of different realities could have no material significance at all. In other words, all photographs that are contributed to news reporting without any code of ethics deface the insurance of transparent information.

Since both photojournalism and writing a news story are associated with journalism, there should not be much difference between the ethics of taking journalistic photos and the ethics of writing a news story. A significant ethical standard that both methods should follow would be the accuracy and comprehensive representation of subjects. It is because of the practice of ethics consumers feel confident in what they are exposed that represent worldwide events.

There are severe impacts of altering press photographs if the intentions are to manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects. Editing in post production should only account towards image clarify and/or definition rather than to ‘photoshop’ items in or out to promote biases and alter the true reality of the matter at hand.

Assignment # 2 - Photo Manipulation

I have decided to use this picture of me blindfolded as I'm trying to hit the piniata. I chose this photo because I think the setting and the audience in the picture aids in the manipulation process. The audience in the background provides a sense of humor and the location is virtually in an open area so I have decided on a funny piece with a variety of possibilities. The challenge is basically finding a situation that is far from normal and finding the right "fit" so the subject, myself is this case, will connect. I first wanted to insert a picture of a professional boxer getting knocked down but I couldn't find the right combination. Also, I figure by adding a boxer would be too common. Finally, I stumbled upon a picture of a horse and the thinking process began. With trial and error, I was able to situate the horse in a position that would complement the subject. Furthermore, I decided on adding a cameraman to add value to the subject by emphasizing on the matter. With adobe photoshop I was able to cut and edit the added pieces effectively thus creating a whole new concept.

For my next image, I have decided to take pictures of the swimming pool area of my apartment. As you can see, 14 individual photos were used and merged into one big photo. These photos consist of different parts, pieces or accents found in the room. Personally, photo merging is new to me therefore I had a lot of fun merging these images. Not only did it make the pool look bigger, at first glance it also gives an illusion of making it somewhat look like an actual pentagon pool. Not until you look closely and notice the overlaps of the transparencies. I purposely changed the brightness and contrast of some of the photos compared to their original thumbnails so they can be more noticeable. The reason why I took a picture of this swimming pool area is because I always swim here after I go to the gym and when I do, the colourful walls tend to always get my attention, maybe because it's the only character in my old, boring and brown apartment. That same day I went upstairs to get my camera and immediately took photos of everything in the room. Thankfully I was by myself because I don't think I'd be able to properly get the illusion that I wanted of the pool with people in it. As you can see, the original pictures are the thumbnails and I used Photoshop to crop the pieces and merged them together. I wasn't trying to get them perfectly blended in because I wanted the photos to be distinguishable and didn't want them to be perfectly aligned. Several layers were used and overlapped one another, and I was also able to change the opacities and rotated a couple of pieces. I like the idea of merging because it doesn't necessarily limit us to just putting images side by side like a collage, it allows to be more flexible and complex with our pictures. For instance, some of the thumbnails I still had to crop and edit, while the rest were immediately put in and merged on their own.