Montage: Activity 3

As editors exercise their ever-increasing power over information control, what limits would you impose on them as to the extent to which they can manipulate the photographic image? Devise a series of guidelines that will control the release of images that have been constructed for media use so that the public is aware as to the extent of the manipulation.

Jennifer Lawrence,  huffingtonpost.uk

My guidelines would be as follows:

• No editing to alter body shape or size.
• No creating skinnier arms or legs, or smoothing out wrinkles or curves - they are natural.
• Only make up products can be used to enhance a model's features - no post-processing editing of skin, etc. unless witnessed consent is provided by the model.
• Merging pictures for a commercial use should not be allowed.
• Photomontages should be allowed artistically or for political use only if there is a disclosure that states the image has been tampered with.
• Using another person's work and making small changes should not be allowed unless permission by the original artist is given.
• On some page in the published magazine, book, article, etc. there should be a side-by-side comparison of the edited image and the original (just as the one above).
• The basic integrity of the picture should be preserved.