"Fraud, Lies & PhotoShop"

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?

There is a certain sense of respect towards journalists in today’s world. Without them, society would not know what is going on in the other side of the globe. They present facts, stories and issues of people and countries that are affected by war, poverty, consumerism and globalization in hopes of getting information out. As a journalist, their obligation is to tell the truth and capture that through photos, words, graphics, designs and broadcasts.

Consumers demand full disclosure and hard facts about current issues going on in the world. Such high demands send journalists to get the up-to-the-minute, first-hand stories. However, some stories do not turn out to be as exciting or serious or “hard-hitting” as anticipated. Unfortunately, some journalists feel that it is a wasted effort to follow stories that readers might not consider interesting. As a result, they are forced to manipulate facts, stories, interviews, and pictures in order to alter the truth.

Reuters, an international news provider photographed a bombing in Lebanon. However, through PhotoShop, photo-editing software, the photograph was manipulated using the "clone tool" in the billowing smoke over Beirut so that the photograph would be more effective. Manipulating photographs adversely alters the truth and this approach, in my opinion is very unprofessional and unethical.

Photoshop is a very effective software that is widely used for media editing, animation and authoring. It is a key tool for graphic professionals, including photojournalists. However, the use of Photoshop to edit photos should be limited and there should be strict restrictions as to how much a photograph can be manipulated for professional journalists. I personally think that photos are not meant to be perfect and should have as little photo editing done to them as possible because the true essence of truth is captured through the unedited photographs. By altering photographs, journalists might be intentionally, or unintentionally change how people perceive the initial message.

It is important to keep in mind that many journalists use photo editing to manipulate the truth of stories when covering a story. It is imperative that we try to distinguish the truth from those that may have been altered. One way of doing this is to follow one or more news reporters on the same stories so that any exploitation of the truth can be detected.

"Reporters in the line of fire"

Is it worth endangering ones' life to get the scoop?

Journalists bring recognition to events and issues occurring throughout the world. They prompt people to think about a particular issue in a new way, make complicated subjects understandable, explore new ideas and help shape policy and peace within countries. Journalists use words, graphics, photos and design to captivate readers so they are informed. They use the power of the media to bring about positive change in society.

Injustices occur within the world today simply because we are unaware of them. Journalists bring the truth to the world in hopes of stimulating social change. By experiencing first-hand the life and hardships that people live can they truly present us with the most reliable and relevant facts. Journalists in a way are life saviours. They inform us about environmental issues and government policies that have a direct effect on us. They travel to war-torn countries to document how people’s lives are being affected from both sides; the military and the citizens.

Reporters Without Borders, an international organization that advocates freedom of press reported the killings of 81 journalists and 32 media assistants in 2006. This has been the highest numbers since 1994. Many journalists are risking their lives to get the story. Some journalists do it for the adventure and the excitement but many simply want to make the suppressed heard and advocate for change.

I believe that journalists do not get enough recognition the all the work and effort that they put it to doing their jobs. They constantly put their lives at risk to bring justice to citizen’s lives and because of this they truly are life saviours.

"Making friends hard, but worth it"

Toward the end of the eighth grade, Rose Marte became really close to: Alex, Hana, Lizzie, Kayla, and Hannah. At the end of the year each of them would be going off to different high schools and things would be complicated.

It is funny to read a blog like this at this point in my life because graduation is soon approaching and everyone is moving off to separate universities. Along with finishing the units and getting good grades there is still a thought in everyone’s mind – saying goodbye. How do you say goodbye? Mary Ward has become a big part of our lives for four years. Friendships were made, fights were had, and tears were shared. We all came to Mary Ward from different schools. In elementary school everyone knew who you were and what you were about.

Coming into high school many fared the thought of making new friends and yearned to be back within the safe, familiar halls ways that we thought was a second home to us – elementary school. Now, four years later and ten times wiser we get have those same feeling that we have experienced before coming to high school, leaving our homes and stepping into the unknown.

They say high school is the best years of your life. From my experience I say that this statement does not fall shy at the very least. Though you are an individual and though you are unique each person at Mary Ward or any other high school for that matter shares one thing in common. They belong to the same family. Not a parent-child kind of family, but a family were everyone contributes in their own way, everyone relies on everyone else for support, comfort and encouragement.

My friends have made me who I am today. It is because of them that I have made it through all the June-rushes, all the heat-aces, the T.A interviews, the tests and the having to actual to homework instead of procrastinate. Through our friendships I have become a better person. I have learned that it is important to live, laugh and forget.

In the blog, Rose emphasizes that though making friends can be hard it's all worth it in the end. Even though some may move far away or get closer to you, it's always good to have friends that will stand by you. It might be hard at the beginning to make friends but when you do you will have friends and friendships that you will cherish for the rest of your life.

"Why does thin have to be in?"

“Why does thin have to be in?” written by Kaylin Taggart is a very potent article. The question “Why does thin have to be in?” pushes society’s limits and questions, what is known today as societal norms. This article reveals the truths about what people in society value, it recognizes potentially dangerous situations in which we are faced with every day. “High cheekbones, scarlet-blooded lips and corpse-like figures flood the high fashion runways.” This statement holds true when we put on a TV set, flip through a magazine, read billboards and serf the net. The media constantly bombards us with advertisements. In fact, a person sees more than 5,000 advertisements a day, most of which feature size 0 models that weigh 110 pounds and are 5’10”. Children, teenagers, and adults look up at these supernatural women in awe and do anything in their power to mimic their “seemingly” gorgeous figures. We are told that a size 0 is considered normal and everything else is unnatural. However, contrary to this belief most women are a size 14 and weighs 140 pounds. Everyone or mostly everyone would love to loose a few pounds here and there, trim a few edges, or cut-out the baby fat that never seems to go away.

Tierney Wallace is a freshman at Broome Community College who was featured in this article. Like many young women, Tierney struggled with an eating disorder and forced herself to live on a 400 calorie a day diet. As she started to loose weight people began to compliment her on how thin and healthy she looked. In fact, it was just the opposite. Without sufficient food in her body, Tierney’s body started eating her muscles and she lost a considerable amount of weight. Many people believe that in order to look and feel beautiful they must be stick-thin. Women of all ages want to be attractive. I mean who doesn’t like a compliment? But why are women constantly forced to watch what they eat, do excessive exercising and still at the end of the day take a look in the mirror and see nothing but fat? We need to smarten up and take a good look in the mirror, a good look and see what is right there in front of us. We are unique, we are strong, we are intelligent individuals. Take everything you see with a grain of salt.