A Black and White Comparison: What Does Retouching Tell Us About Photojournalism?

A Black and White Comparison: What Does Retouching Tell Us About Photojournalism? – PhotoShelter Blog

This week, TIME magazine published James Nachtwey’s photo essay on the opioid crisis. Over his decades-long career, Nachtwey has carved out a reputation as a stoic and relentless documentarian of conflict and pain. His latest effort took over a year to pr

via PhotoShelter Blog: https://blog.photoshelter.com/2018/03/black-white-comparison-retouching-tell-us-photojournalism/

Do Frayer’s images pop? Yes, they do – especially when compared to Nachtwey’s. But does the retouching style support or detract from the content of the photos? And more importantly, does it matter? I would suggest that if any material percentage of the public believes that the scene has been staged, then insofar as photojournalism is concerned, there is a problem. But in today’s world where punchy Instagram-style images have influenced a news-weary public’s perception of photography, perhaps the discussion is moot.