Below are two examples of digital imaging:
Brian Walski was a photojournalist for the LA Times newspaper from 1998 to April 1st 2003. He was working in Basra, Iraq at the time; taking pictures that the newspaper could publish with articles on the war, which was taking place in Iraq at the time.
Brian Walski was fired from his job as a photographer for the second biggest newspaper in the USA, The LA Times. He was fired because The LA Times had published an image that he had submitted, which had been altered.
He lost his job because a photograph of a British soldier directing Iraqi civilians to take cover from Iraqi fire on the border of Basra was published in The LA Times; and it was noticed by many that a number of civilians in the background of the photo appear numerously. The photographer Brian Walski was contacted by phone, where he admitted that he had used his computer to merge bits and pieces of two photographs, which he had taken moments apart, in order to develop the composition of the final photo. He lost his job because this was against The Times’ policy.
The actual photos
The altered photo
Some disagree with him losing his job because he was only trying to get a better story for the newspaper. Yet some agree with him losing his job because he submitted an edited image that was to do with a major subject: the war undergoing in Iraq. This image was published on the front page of The LA Times.
I think Brian Walski should have lost his job because the image he submitted was giving off a different story than the real images would have. I think some digital imaging is fine. For example, I feel making some look a little better if they’re going to appear in a magazine is okay, but I completely disagree with digital imaging that is used to give off a story all over the world that isn’t true, especially on such a big issue, such as, in this case, the current war taking place.
I think there should definitely be boundaries put in place with the use of digital imaging in the media, because it is used far too much in the wrong context. I think digital imaging that it used to someone’s hair look a little better is fine, but to compare two separate images to make a better story, I feel is utterly and completely wrong.
