Photos in a newspaper should appear just as the camera saw the image: It should not be manipulated.
Unfortunately, our Dec. 21 paper had an altered picture on page 50. Logos were removed by our staff from toy boxes in a KRTN photo because of editorial concern that associating the logos with the accompanying story – from a different wire service – might be defamatory.
This should not have happened.
Our own code of ethics states “photographs must not be electronically or otherwise altered to distort the actual scene.”
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The Canadian Press handbook is very clear on the subject: “Our pictures must always tell the truth – tell what the photographer saw happen. Nothing can damage our credibility more quickly that deliberate untruthfulness. The integrity of our photo report is our highest priority.”
The technology involving preparing photos for newspapers has changed dramatically in the last few years. It has become simpler to manipulate photos with computers, so there are rules to protect the integrity of newspapers.
CP defines as acceptable the “long-established chemical darkroom standards of photo printing. Simple burning (making light portions of a print darker), dodging (making dark portions lighter), black-and-white toning and cropping are acceptable.”
Cropping is cutting off the top, bottom or ends on a photo but retaining the main subject.
Other things identified as acceptable are retouching (“removal of dust spots, film scratches or abnormal marks and patterns”) and minimal color adjustment.
For example, if a picture was taken in a room under fluorescent lights, the image may end up green. Our technicians would adjust the image to what would be the normal colors seen by the eye in that room.
Photo manipulation should be avoided, or identified for readers.
