Photojournalism Ethic Issues

Abstract

The picture I show above is one of a young man, probably somewhere between the age of fifteen and seventeen, based on assumption. The reason this photo raises so many ethical issues is because this is a gut-turning moment for anyone, including the family. At some point, journalist are expected to show more compassion and privacy towards that aspect of it. This raises another issue because these pictures will get eaten up by people; people are suckers for this type of content, and it brings so much emotional contraction to the person viewing it. It sends a powerful message to the audience, and brings so much more pathos, or emotional credibility to the author. The general consensus of coverage of tragedy and grief is that it should be used under the circumstance that the family of the picture taken is okay with it being published and shown to people. There is a line that I believe should be drawn in the sand in which is a good time to use such photos. It portrays an emotional concept that grabs the reader to feel for them, and make them want to “jump through a photo and give the person a long, comforting hug”, said by one of my classmates. That’s why people use these photos and that is a good reason; we are journalist trying to convey a story. In conclusion, coverage of this matter should always be given permission, regardless of how impactful it could be. A human’s feelings is far more important then trying to convey a message.