lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

The N.Y. Times posted its "Year in Pictures"; and there are some wonderful images included. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/19/sunday-review/2017-year-in-pictures.html?ref=todayspaper

I find two attributed to Tomas Monita, and one to Meridith Kohut, extraordinary. The talent of the photographers speaks for itself; but the three photographs are unusually sharp, and the colors nearly surreal.

I found that Monita is a Leica user. I have no idea what equipment Kohut uses, nor could find any attribution of the camera(s)/lenses used to produce the featured images.

Regardless, the Times article is well worth viewing, and your thoughts will be appreciated.

And, Merry Christmas.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Lot of them appears be fisheye

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Beautiful images. It also illustrates that parts of our Planet are unimaginably violent.

Dan Downie Loc: Rochester, NY

Thank you for the link! It's a shame that there is so much suffering in this world!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Both sets of images look like they are the product of a good amount of post processing. Of almost borderline HDR sort of settings. As for the sharpness...f/8 and be there. The colors are surreal because they don't look natural...they are goosed in post.

Leica's are just like any other camera, no magic there.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

Photojournalists are prohibited from doing virtually any post processing on their images. The concern is that by doing so they are editorializing rather than reporting. There have been widely reported cases of photographers being fired for enhancing an image.
But you do notice what I did...those colors almost explode off the page.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Are these contracted photojournalists?

Also, is color adjustment beyond what’s acceptable in that realm?

A quick reading of the NPPA rules looks like goosing of shadows and colors is not forbidden

https://nppa.org/code-ethics

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

My understanding is that the photojournalists in question are working contracted rather than working free-lance.

Here is a list of adjustments permitted by code of ethics of Associated Press:

Minor adjustments in Photoshop are acceptable. These include cropping, dodging and burning, conversion into gray- scale, and normal toning and color adjustments that should be limited to those minimally necessary for clear and accurate reproduction (analogous to the burning and dodging previously used in darkroom processing of images) and that restore the authentic nature of the photograph. Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene are not acceptable. Backgrounds should not be digitally blurred or eliminated by burning down or by aggressive toning. The removal of “red eye” from photographs is not permissible.

You will notice that it specifically excludes manipulation of color and saturation levels, which should include HDR modification.

I am now going to attempt to write the photographers in question and see if they will answer our questions.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"You will notice that it specifically excludes manipulation of color and saturation levels, which should include HDR modification."

Fascinating how that is excluded.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Any gear can produce pictures like that. It all depends on the photographer.
Lots of post processing has been added to them.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

Any good camera/lens can duplicate these kinds of results. I shoot hummingbirds and people ask how can you great these incredible pictures? I've had years of practice and know the setup and the right equipment to use so my results are great. If I was taking different pictures as my craft I too would know exactly how to set up my camera for the best results. Often times the time of day, the direction your facing, the programming of the camera, the lens selection and staying within the sweet spot of the equipment will produce some incredible results.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

You are almost certainly correct about the equipment and almost certainly wrong about the post processing. I will remind you that photojournalists lose their career if they do not follow AP rules.

Lowrider Loc: Kennesaw, GA

An aside...in the one picture of the people behind the prison door, did you notice it isn't locked? What's up with that?
and I shoot Canon exclusively, but in the Comey picture, did you notice the number of "white lens?
"