Doctored photo costs photog a newsroom job
The Charlotte Observer sacked a staff photographer for altering a spot news image a few days back when all he’d tried to do was return the colour back to the sky. Although this wasn’t his first run-in with altering photos, the ethics of which was discussed by Pedro Meyer in his 2003 article In defense of photographer Patrick Schneider and the fictions of a "Code of Ethics"
"Schneider said he did not intend to mislead readers, only to restore the actual color of the sky. He said the color was lost when he underexposed the photo to offset the glare of the sun."
What do you think? When is the ethical line crossed?
Related Links
- Reuters Doctoring Photos from Beirut?
- Real Or Fake? By Neil Munro, National Journal
- L.A. Times Photographer Fired Over Altered Image by Kenny Irby [Poynter Online]
- Photojournalism An Ethical Approach by Paul Martin Lester
- Media Ethics Websites Links Journalism Education Association
