Photojournalists Are Necessary Essay, Research Paper

Photojournalist need freedom in order to present us with the facts.

What would we see if every picture were regulated? We’d see flowers, happy people and maybe the odd kiss. We’d never see the truth about the world. Everything would be a fantasy. If the world was perfect, then by all means, show the happy people. I don’t care. But, showing a fantasy is like lying about the world, or denying us of the truth. We need truth, not fantasies. News is news, not some candy coated fantasy that some people want it to be. Maybe, people want to see fantasies because they can’t accept the fact that the world can be a cruel place. The world is capable of committing terrible crimes, so, all you critics, all I have to say is “FACE IT”! Why hide the real world? People can choose not to see things, but they can’t choose to see things that aren’t there. If you don’t want to face reality, ignore the news, just don’t take it away from the people who want to face it. Photojournalists need freedom to present us with the facts.

One of the most powerful pictures taken by a photojournalist is the picture of the fireman carrying a baby from the Oklahoma City bombing. This picture received very negative reactions from some, but I don’t see why. The picture shows the real tragedy and true emotions involved. If the photojournalists had restrictions, as some suggest, this picture probably would not have been taken. Why not? Because it’s reality and it seems like the critics can’t handle the truth. If they could then they’d understand the importance of the picture. Without freedom, people would perceive the world as being perfect. But in fact, it isn’t. Because of this, photojournalists need freedom to present us with the facts.

The picture taken by a Canadian soldier, of another Canadian soldier beating a Somali teenager to death is perfect for the media. If these kinds of picture could not be printed, because of restrictions, people would not realise how serious this incident really was. Reading about it or hearing about it would make people think it was just another war mishap, but seeing it, opens up a whole new point of view. That view is vital for the public if they want to be up to date and informed of the truth. The trial for the Canadian soldiers started much before this picture was printed; but I don’t know one person who knew about it until the picture was printed. When the picture was printed, it shocked people. Why? Because of many reasons, maybe the cruel expression on the face of the emotionless solder, or the limp, bloody body of the Somali teen. Who knows? But it did happen and that’s one thing we can be sure of. Maybe one-day people will realise the cruel nature of the world, and accept it. This is why photojournalists need freedom. How else would I have known about this horrific tragedy without the freedom of photojournalism.

Communism; is it good or bad? It’s all a matter of opinion. Well, to some, communism is bad enough to kill a human being over. A chief of police in Vietnam decided he would kill an innocent man who believed communism is the way to live. Well, this doesn’t sound so bad. It would if you were there to witness it, but you weren’t, so why not do the next best thing look at it. See the bullet entering the man’s skull. I see the lack of emotions in the Chief of Police. It might make you think twice about what should and shouldn’t be seen. If this picture weren’t shown, would it be as big of a deal? No. Well, it really isn’t our business, however, when we see photographs like this, it increases our awareness and makes us want to help. We wouldn’t be able to help the third world (developing) countries, because we wouldn’t know about the tragedies. This is why it is important for photojournalists to present us with the facts. To do so they need freedom!

Photojournalism is not about peace, love, and harmony. It’s about the truth, which can only be shown through the photographs taken by photojournalists. Without freedom to take these pictures, we would receive a false sense of reality. I don’t want to see photographs unless they are pictures of real situations. I, and I hope everyone else, think freedom is a necessity in photojournalism. Photojournalists need freedom in order to present us with the facts.