Photojournalism, to most people, is the main way to visually keep updated and explore what is happening around the world. Compared to written words, a photograph taken on site can contain greater amounts of information and context about the event/subject. The efficiency and effectiveness of communication is dramatically improved by using photographs. Journalists claim the responsibility to acknowledge and portray reality of wars to the public because it is difficult for bystanders - people other than victims - to grasp the horrors and suffers during such tragic events. However, tragedies like 911 or 2004 Fallujah ambush brings another side of photojournalism that some photos published by several major media seems too realistic and gruesome …show more content…
It is a delicate boundary between a photo that is a great news cover or inappropriate to be the front page of a newsletter. Like many other professions, there are many guides and general standards on how to evaluate whether a photo is appropriate to be the cover of a news to attract people’s attention. Nonetheless, photojournalism professionals still constantly get themselves involved in a controversial situation for using wrong photos. Does revealing the truth mean to display raw photography of tragedies without any modification? People’s emotions towards photography matters, the intention of provoking more people to learn and understand a significant tragic events comprehensively is equally important. In the article “Images of Horror From Fallujah”, David Perlmutter and Lesa Major show their support to medias that were blamed by the public for showing , to some people, disturbing images in their reports on the 2004 Fallujah ambush. Perlmutter and Major further explain that among these major television networks, on their front pages, none of them chose to displayed any raw photos without modification …show more content…
Ethical concerns play a major role when it comes to assessing photographs. Lester lists six philosophies that drive journalists’ decision in using specific photos in most cases, which include categorical imperative, utilitarianism, hedonism, the golden mean, the golden rule, and the veil of ignorance. Hedonism , “... often denied as the motive for a visual journalist’s actions”, “ … is also probably the most widely applied philosophy” (Lester). Some papers, whether be past or future, put away their moral standards when economical benefits demands them to put an irritating image on their cover because “... violence and tragedy are staples of American journalism” (Lester). But if fair punishment will be charged and permanent record of their behavior will remain effective, journalism professions will ultimately filter out those with priorities other than ethical