Fraud, Lies & PhotoShop

Grade 11 & 12 Journalism

The photograph, because of its close resemblance to reality, is thought to hold the essence of “truth” and is often treated as evidence. However, with the rise of photo-editing software, such as PhotoShop, a photograph’s objectivity comes into question. A recent and salient example of this is a Reuter's photograph of bombing in Lebanon. A keen blogger from "Little Green Footballs" noticed the obvious use of the "clone tool" in the billowing smoke over Beirut. Check out the first report of the fraud at Little Green Footballs.

You may answer one, several, or all of the following journal questions based on this story:

Journal Entry Question #2
In photojournalism, when is it appropriate to use PhotoShop? When is it not appropriate? Does altering the photograph mean altering the truth?

Journal Entry Question #3
What do you think were the photographer's intentions in changing the photograph in such a dramatic way?

Journal Entry Question #4
Reuters is an international, mainstream news provider. What does such an incident do for Reuters' reputation? What do you think about the fact that a blogger (an independent journalist) was the first to uncover the story? How does this change your view of mainstream media vs. independent media?

Each entry must be 300 words long. Include your images were appropriate.