Some may be confused by the differences between photojournalism and artistic photography. The line is drawn at purposeful manipulation of a photo, either in Photoshop or while out in the field. Altering an image in Photoshop to not include someone or to take out a piece of garbage that was in the original shot is unethical. Why? Because it distorts reality. However, when creating an artistic photo just about anything goes. Perspective can distort the way a building looks, objects can be cropped out or added in, color can be altered dramatically. What can be done to a photo is up to the artist. What shouldn’t be done to a photo, in terms of ethics, is up to the photojournalist.
The following video is commentary with David Dare Parker, a photojournalist, on the ethics of photojournalism.
A Look at Photography with Lurah 