Compare the work of Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson versus the work of Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado

 

Andre Kertesz 

       Andre Kertesz was well-known as a successful photo journalist in the world. His photography was not intended to record the major and excited moments or events but to cast attention on images seemingly “unimportant.”  In his photos he believed photos contents and photo composition were same important. His unique camera angles and style had gained him world-wide recognition. From these three pictures I choose we can see that Andre Kertesz composed his pictures perfectly and his photos concentrated on the “unimportant” subjects.  Because of these “unimportant” subjects demonstrated his photos are more realistic and Authenticity.

 

  

 Henri Cartier-Bresson 

         Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer. He was considered as a famous candid photographer. He developed the “street photography” style and it has big influence on the world photography. He traveled the world in order to capture different slice of life. His photos were taken on the street with candid shot. Therefore, his photos were more naturalistic and realistic.

      Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson were both photojournalists were both like being invisible when they taking pictures. Their approach to photography are same, they are both taking pictures in naturalistic way. They don’t like photos edited by artificial light and cropped photos. They believed that all images should be done naturally when the pictures were made. They took realistic photos and telling true stories to their audience. Also, they took a lot of pictures from the daily life to describe their meaningful ideas. Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado believed the photographers should influence the photo. That means the photographer is more like a artist or a painter. They can choose the object and make the layout match what they want, so the photographer "make" the photo. Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado are perfectionist that is "I can't show it. This face up here needs toning , needs burning in. This thing down here needs changing . The eyes are wrong" (Lasko, 1989). They always made the picture impeccable, so they cannot take picture naturally, always have some changes on the picture.

 Eugene Smith

        

Sebastio Salgado

          So, I think the differences between the work of Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson versus the work of Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado are if photographers should influence the photograph, and if should photographs edited by photographers.  On the other hand, these two kind of  photographers are focus on describe their ideas though their photographs. Second, All of them have a strong passionate about photography and have a lots of world-famous photos. Also, all of them have very large effect on the development of photography.

2.What’s the better journalistic approach?

         In our opinion, we prefer Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson to Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado. First, we think photography is different from other artistic forms because photography is more reality and directly. we think if photographers edited photos, there is no different between painting and photography. Addition, we think a artist can use object from daily life will have struck a responsive chord in the hearts of its audiences. We can read the ideas more easier from reality than edited. So we think Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson is the better journalistic approach.

Source:

https://sites.google.com/site/shootingthetruth/Home/modules/week-11/course-notes-week-11

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2011/08/10-things-henri-cartier-bresson-can-teach-you-about-street-photography/

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/w-eugene-smith-i-didnt-write-the-rules-why-should-i-follow-them/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/andre-kertesz/about-andre-kertesz/645/

Assignment 2: Press photography versus art photography

1.The main differences and similarities between art and press photography
In my opinion, the main differences between art photography and press photography are if the photo can edit.  Art photography can be edited by photographer's idea. Just like this photography named Nude playing piano. The photographer used time-lapse photography in this photo. And try use this way to show his or her idea in this photo. I can feel how fast is this pianist played the piano, and how surging songs he or she played. May be what I feel is different from the author, but we can see author used a lot of  tools edit this photography for match his or her idea. On the other hand, press photography is different from art photography. Press photography has to keep the photo true, nature and fair, so press photography cannot edited by photography. The photography may be not perfect but it has to be true. 

I think the main similar is both of them are try to told audience something. They want to though those photography express their opinions. we can understand what happened from the press photography, and we can feel what author think from art photography.

nude playing piano 

Michael Appleton


2. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs? Why? Why not?

Yes, it is ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs. Because art photography can be edited by author's mind, idea or emotion. They can use tools to edit photography for matching author's idea. So I think it is ethical and acceptable to alter art photographs. Also, we have see a lot of art photographs are edited and those photographs become the world famous  photographs.

Bernard Faucon

we can very easy to understand this photography is talk about friend because "ami" in English means "friend". This way can directly show the object in this photo.

3. Is it ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs? Why? Why not?

I do not think it is ethical and acceptable to alter press photographs. The purpose of these photos is show the truth, we cannot alter the facts. The news is show to public, not only for people who interested in. If press photographs can be altered, authors will put their own emotions in them. That will effect on public, and will effect on the event. That is not fair for the public or event participants. 

According to "Pelosi defends decision to alter congressional class photo" shows
"This combo of two photos shows, at left, an Associated Press photo taken Jan. 3, 2013 of female Democratic House members on Capitol Hill, and at right, a screen grab from Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Flickr page of an altered photo. Four additional members who were late to the original shoot were added in the back row". I think this action is unfair to those female Democratic House members who actually been there. Also, maybe next time, nobody will show up because they can let journalist alter the photo. So I think it is unethical and unacceptable to alter press photographs.











Source:
http://photographybybitel.artspan.com/large-multi-view/gallery/1922305-10-164649/Photography/Black%20&%20White/Abstract.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/nov/10/100-years-press-photography
http://www.sanary.com/652-photomed-2012-les-artistes-iv-bernard-faucon-une-fete-en-mediterranee
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/04/pelosi-defends-decision-to-alter-congressional-class-photo/

DB 9 - Presentation Week 9: Shooting the truth: Photojournalism

What's the role of photo journalism?

         The responsibilities and duties of the photojournalist varies from newspaper to newspaper. The primary duty of the photojournalist is to take pictures. They are responsible for providing clear, easy-to-read, high quality, truthful images, that communicate a meaningful message to the readers of the publication they work for. Photo journalism is not only required, but essential in the journalism because photo can prove the news and made the news more vivd and complete, so photo journalism is a very mprtant part in the journalism.

Are there rules that photojournalists should follow? Why? Why not?
          In my opinion, photojournalists should follow their rules. According to "A Brief History of Photojournalism", " ... the principles of journalism: timeliness, accuracy, fair representation of the context of events and facts reported, and accountability to the public."  Those rules make the news more fair, crediable, timely and convincing. Because photojournalists have to make sure their photo "must be concerned with producing accurate news for the public". If they do not follow those rules, we will see a lots of fake news or tendentious news that are not public wanted. We can get ture news only those photojournalists follow those rules.

Is the ethics of taking journalistic photos different than the ethics of writing a news story?

I think it should not be much difference between the ethics of taking journalistic photos and the ethics of writing a news story. Althought they have difference way to be processed until headining news to the media. But the same things is they both need to ensure if it is appropriate to publish. The aim of journalistic photos and news story are trying to tell pbulic the truth, so they have similar ethics.

What's the impact of altering press photographs? Should they be edited (at all) in postproduction?
I think photojournalists will put their own emotion in the photographs. orignal
edited

They cut off women in the photo. That totally discriminates against women. As a
publication, this kind of photo will mislead public and push the struggle became more acute.
So I think they should not edited in postproduction

Source:http://www.photography-schools.com/photojournalismhistory.htm