The Ethics of The Flash

How ethically moral is photojournalism

Sydney Jackson

Recollecting memories during the “Great Depression” unit in my junior high school, I can clearly remember seeing photojournalist Dorothea Lange’s, “Migrant Mother,” a photo of a visibly distressed mother looking off to the distance as her two children hid in the crevices of her shoulder. Compared to the other photos that were printed on our glossy textbooks, it stood out to my 13-year-old self. I thought it captured the Great Depression’s effect on the American people, and I immensely empathized with the mother and her two children. 

The effect that “Migrant Mother” had on younger me is parallel to the effect that various photos have had on individuals world-wide. Photojournalism has and uses the power of photography, and impacts the beliefs and perspectives of the world. It can transport us decades in the past or give us a warning glimpse into the future. Nature photojournalists make the unique beauty of our environment appear more sensitive. Some photojournalists make even the most intimidating and hair-raising animals like lions appear cute and cuddly. Photojournalists that take on more serious shots like war or devastation, take raw, realistic, and captivating photos that show the severity and tragedy of a situation, taking the viewer by their hand, pulling them into the moment. 

In defiance of its advantageous influence, shining an important bright light on the happenings of the world, there is an unfortunate amount of exploitation of the subjects of many photos. 

In cases of war and mass devastation, the vulnerable victims of these situations can fall victim to exploitation. As we move to becoming a more socially aware and conscious society, we are being exposed to more explicit photos of tragedies around the world. Moreover, many of these photos teeter on  the edge of exploitation. The internet, without consent from the victim in the photo, often shows graphic images of an individual in their vulnerable, powerless state. For example, a photo of a young Gazan boy recently circulated the internet; he was still connected to the IV drip while the hospital burned him along with it. This is debatably unnecessary to share online as it strips the family of their privacy to grieve, instead making the boy's death a public spectacle. 

Financially, the exploitation presents an unintentional power problem between the victims and photojournalism as a whole. The majority of the subjects of photos do not receive any compensation for their pictures. While their images circulate on social media or news outlets, making millions of money, they remain poor and suffer, which is extremely unfair. 

Nonetheless, ironically, it could be argued that sometimes exploitation is “good” for the subjects of the photos. Like previously mentioned, photojournalists take important and situation-altering photos of tragic events. Consequently, attention and awareness is often brought to tragic events and movements. With the spread of pictures, the public gains visual information and the possibility of being educated on a situation, fostering greater empathy in people than before. This could directly result in an increase of donations for aid and relief, or overall more support for movements. 

Despite its flaws, photojournalism is a beautiful and important art form. Sometimes words do not give enough justice, and actual pictures are needed to convey the severity of the situation. Photos can help the viewer see the situation for what it is and to understand it in its entirety, instead of relying on their  imagination to conjure an image. It helps to de-shelter the viewer from the brutality of a harsh situation which can produce empathy.