The tampering of a photograph by a Lebanese freelance who worked for Reuters should not tarnish the good work and reputations of other independent photographers.
The National Union of Journalists yesterday supported the firing of Adnan Hajj from the news agency but stressed it does not mean that other freelance photographers are unreliable.
Photographers have a duty to represent truthfully and accurately what they have witnessed said the union’s freelance organiser John Toner, and therefore Hajj’s images were “unacceptable.”
“Professional photographers are united in their disgust at manipulation. No genuine professional would stoop to this,” he added.
Freelance photographers who choose to interfere with images they’ve captured or witnessed will find it almost impossible to find new clients, the union warned.
“A freelance lives on his/her reputation, and once that reputation has gone work dries up – as Adnan Hajj is now discovering,” it said in a statement.
The union pointed to its own code of conduct, which it said should be the standard all independent photo-journalists should insist upon.
“No journalist shall knowingly cause or allow the publication or broadcast of a photograph that has been manipulated unless that photograph is clearly labelled as such,” the NUJ Code states.
Aug 11, 2006
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