Steve McCurry Paper
Steve McCurry is a very well known
photojournalist that photographed for Nation Geographic. McCurry is well known
for his photography, but he is also well known for being a “fraud.” Someone
first noticed editing in an image he shot in Cuba, where the bottom half of a
man’s leg blurs into the steps and a bright yellow sign was moved from behind a
man. Once people realized this photograph was edited, they went back to his
other photos and discovered more editing. However, back in 2016, it was
discovered that he edited one of his most well known photographs called Afghan Girl.
Afghan
Girl was taken of a
17-year-old Afghan that made the front cover of one issue of the National
Geographic Magazine in 1985. This photograph was their magazines most famous
image and referred to as one of the most famous photos of all time. He edited
the girl’s eyes to make it more appealing to the viewers. The corner of her
eyes originally looked much more dirty and had a glare, but in the photograph
on National Geographic’s magazine the inner corner of her eye is smoothed out
and lighter without the glare. Even though this is such a small edit, he still
altered reality and completely changed the image. When McCurry was called out
on it, he did not deny the editing. However, he said that he is not a
photojournalist, but a “visual storyteller.” Photojournalists cannot edit their
images, for it is supposed to be a raw image that depicts real life and shows
exactly what the camera saw. On the other hand, a visual storyteller can edit their
photographs, but they want to show the story they want to tell through the
photo. McCurry was caught with editing color in some images, like Afghan Girl, and moving or removing different
objects that he felt were distracting in his photos. Both of which are not
allowed in photojournalism.
Personally, I feel that Steve McCurry
is in the wrong. I do think, however, that photojournalists should be able to
edit their photographs, but as a photojournalist they need follow the rules.
McCurry did not mention when his photographs were published that any of them
were edited and that is where he is in the wrong. So many other
photojournalists put so much work to get raw, in the moment photographs that
are eye-catching, and it is not fair that McCurry received so much attention
and fame for his photograph of the Afghan girl that was not 100% natural. I do
not think he is wrong for editing the picture, but he should have not allowed
National Geographic to use it if he knew he broke the rules. It is clear how
talented of a photographer McCurry is and this scandal may have set him back,
but he is still photographing till today.
McCurry always has, and still
creates amazing photographs that are not edited and are still some of the most
well known photographs. He is an inspiration to many photographers with
multiple best selling books and receiving makes tens of thousands from each
print. This scandal was definitely a major setback for McCurry, but he is still
a famous, skilled photographer with a lot of respect in his field.
Works Cited:
·
Letzter,
Rafi. “The 'Afghan Girl' Photographer Faked Some of His Photos. Does It Matter?” Business Insider,
Business Insider, 21 May 2016, www.businessinsider.com/steve-mccurry-photo-editing-scandal-2016-5/?r=AU
·
Laurent,
Olivier. “Steve McCurry: I'm Not a Photojournalist.” Time, Time, 30
May 2016, time.com/4351725/steve-mccurry-not-photojournalist/
·
“Eyes
of the Afghan Girl: A Critical Take on the 'Steve McCurry Scandal'.” PetaPixel, 8 June 2016,
petapixel.com/2016/06/07/eyes-afghan-girl-critical-take-steve-mccurry-scandal/
·
“Botched
Steve McCurry Print Leads to Photoshop Scandal.” PetaPixel, 7 May 2016,
petapixel.com/2016/05/06/botched-steve-mccurry-print-leads-photoshop-scandal/
·
Nagar,
Kshitij. Writing Through Light, www.writingthroughlight.com/conversation/editorial-follow-up-afghan-girl-steve-mccurry/
No comments:
Post a Comment