mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Interesting article on Ethics in Photography here:
http://photographylife.com/the-importance-of-ethics-in-photography#more-122878

What do you think?

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

Thanks for posting................

It's well written and the author tried to present a well argued case for a code of ethics........................but most of what he argued for is unenforceable...........most publisher's follow a code of ethics, individuals not so much.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

[quote=mcveed]Interesting article on Ethics in Photography here:
http://photographylife.com/the-importance-of-ethics-in-photography#more-122878

What do you think?

HI, Don, What do I think ? I think the article has much thoughtful, substantive value as food-for-thought ...and opens a can jamb-packed with very durable worms...and unresolvable conundrums!

An example of an image of my own I can offer is one of an osprey perched in a tree with a just-caught catfish/bullhead(?) clenched in its taloned foot. I've prepared it as both a fine art print, and as a wildlife print, which, other than a crop for compositional effect, has all its warts...including all those distracting background branches and twigs! When a potential purchaser inquires, they are given the option of the fine art print or the wildlife print...same price, no haggling.

I have yet to have anyone, including several well-known collectors of wildlife art, choose the "wildlife" print.

Dave

fine art version

(Download)

wildlife art version

(Download)

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Interesting article. Some of it I agree with, as do most photographers: that contest rules ought to be followed, that news photography ought not to have things moved in or out via software, that animals and the environment ought to be treated with respect and care, that deliberately duplicating someone's original composition is creepy, that overcooked nature photography ain't always pretty. But overcooking a sunset is very different from adding a plane that wasn't there to a contest that forbids such things. So it is still a slippery slope. My own thoughts tend to lean on the side of personal freedom of expression, except when bound by of rules of a particular activity or professional standards for a particular genre.

Thank you for sharing.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Dave,
What you did with this photograph is no more unethical than converting a colour image to black and white, in fact it distorts reality even less. I suppose we all set our own ethical standards when dealing with photography. Some will insist that any adjustment from the reality one would capture with a Kodachrome slide is beyond the pale. Others insist that their digital file is their property and they can do whatever they want with it. I have no personal argument with either of those positions. However there are many manipulations to which I have no objection to others making that I would not make myself. I try to draw a line, for my own control, between photography and graphics arts. I do photography and I do not do composites, I do not do HDR except to achieve accurate dynamic range, and I do not relocate items in my images. But those are restrictions I place on myself, not ones which I impose on others. The only restriction I place on others is honesty. When a photograph is manipulated with the goal of deception, then I consider it unethical. Even though, in many cases, the manipulation/deception may be undetectable.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Well written and thought provoking article. Thanks.

I kept thinking about the book (and film) To Kill a Mockingbird as I read.

Mike

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Interesting, Dave. I am working on a documentary project and the other day I had to sit down with a botanist to go over images of about 400 plants and make sure I had identified them all correctly. He wanted to know where and when each photo was taken. Of course, I told him exactly where and when the photos were taken, and I also told him when I had "cheated." While 90% of my photos are taken "in the wild" there are some plants that I propagated in my own yard, others were on property that was a native plant restoration project, others were taken in native plant nurseries. Now, in the documentary itself there is no need to reveal those "cheats" since no claim is being made otherwise. The botanist wanted to see the unedited images, and also the "record" photos I take that show the entire plant and other plants growing nearby. In the documentary the photos will be edited, not as drastically as your example here, but along those lines.

The final result will be something of a compromise between "art" and strict "reality." We won't be misleading anyone, but we will be presenting the most appealing visuals we can.

We are strict about not doing any damage to plants when we are working in the field, as an ethical issue. Also, we no longer reveal the exact location of plants to the public because of the growing poaching problem, which is another ethical issue.

Mike

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

Simply put, I think the vast use of cell phone cameras has negated much of what most would have considered ethical quite sometime ago.

Just MY opinion..

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

In what way Jim?

Me, I hate cell phones and I'm not just referring to the camera.My wife tends to think it's necessary tool to communicate any chores that need doing that she forgot about................So I let the battery run down and tell her it's always doing that.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Jim, I agree that with cell phones there has been much violence done to the ethics of photography, but that doesn't, in the end, change the definition of either "ethical" or "unethical".

Dave

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

There are now any number of citizens, young, middle and old, who are constantly using their phones to grqb pictures of anything and everything around them, sometimes in other than public places, Whether or not subjects have given permission seems to be of no consequence.

I am not talking about thousands, or millions - I mean by the billions. Probably approaching a trillion, or so, every day.

My lovely wife, Alice by name, can not function without her cell phone. She uses it for almost everything including constantly taking pictures. I wouldn't have one shoved up my you know what if she didn't insist on a way to keep in touch with me when I'm out in the boonies doing my thing.

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

Ethics are rules - not principles. As such they are subject to change, sometimes drastic change.

Unlike principles, they do not hold the same meaning at all times in all places for all people.

photosbytw Loc: Blue Ridge Mountains

I can't argue that CP's are everywhere and are used without mercy but if one is in the public they're fair game IMHO. I will admit it would be curtious to ask permission but I don't believe unethical to grab a shot. I don't ask but if someone wishes that I didn't. I don't.

Respecrfully
I was out in a terrible winter storm with 30mph winds blowing the snow so it appeared to be falling sideways. After I ran off the road in one of the remote areas and desperately needed a tow truck to come and rescue my butt, I was very glad to have that cell with me...................and Audie,my wife, never misses an opportunity to remind me of that day

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

A wife thinks it's her duty to never forget the mistakes that her husband makes. an never passes up the opportunity to bring them up. Even if the mistake was decades ago.

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

Probably true for most but not true in all cases.

In 1960 Alice and I were married, We were divorced six years later due to my own stupidity. Stayed separated without any communication between us for 25 years. Long story short, remarried 23 years ago.

I asked her shortly after our initial talk if she wanted to talk more about it. Her answer was no. She has not mentioned it once in all the years since. And yes, I realize I am one lucky s.o.b.