Digital Manipulation

Digital Manipulation refers to the process of doctoring a photograph to alter the original image. While people have been changing photographs for a long time now, digital cameras have made photograph manipulation faster, more efficient and more widely done. Computer software like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are popular ways in which people digitally manipulate photographs.

Inherently, the topic of digital manipulation brings ethical questions into the foreground, especially in the public arena. Newspaper and magazine publishers have to be extremely careful when purchasing photographs from photojournalists, as digital manipulation can create false pictures.

Because of this, the National Press Photographers Association has written a standing code of ethics, stating that any picture that deceives the public or misrepresents the truth (due to digital manipulation) should be considered unethical and against NPPA standards.

Digital manipulation of photographs can however be a useful tool when used properly. If a photographer wants to airbrush a photo, get rid of red eyes or delete an inappropriate detail in the background, digital manipulation becomes a powerful tool. Similarly, digital manipulation can be used to add an artistic effect to a photograph because it allows you to collage many different photos into a single space.

Nevertheless, digital manipulation has stirred up much controversy and doubt among the public.