The objective of a photojournalist is to record and capture and truth and report to the audiences using the photographs as the evidences. In order to be ethical, they have to follow certain rules in order to demonstrate the truth to the audiences. However, different photojournalists have different ways and role of taking photographs, as they have different aspects and values in photography. Using the creations by Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier- Bresson vs. Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado as an example, we will be able to prove that different photojournalists can believe it different approaches.
Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson both believe that capturing the natural moment of an object or a person is the best approach to use by photojournalist. It is no doubt that the true side can easily be recorded in the photograph without any modification and that is why anything or anyone can be their model. By examining the photographs below, the nature side of the objects and people is displayed. It seems that people in the photographs are no aware of the photographer, making reality to be shown. These two photojournalists are also believed in simplification; one of the identities of their photographs is that they are simple object based. The objects do not deliver lots of messages in the photographs and audiences often experience natural feelings in the photographs, simply by those common objects and background, such as water, grass, and buildings.
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| Andre Kertesz, To Susan, Paris, 1931. 8 "x 10", Gelatin Silver Print, Signed. http://www.staleywise.com/collection/kertesz/big/2.jpg |
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| 14. Andre Kertesz, Elizabeth's Book, Newtown, CT. 8 "x 10", Gelatin Silver Print, Signed. http://www.staleywise.com/collection/kertesz/big/6.jpg |
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Henri Cartier-Bresson Spain 1933, 1933 http://mediastore.magnumphotos.com/CoreXDoc/MAG/Media/TR3/2/9/e/1/PAR43608.jpg |
On the other hand, Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado had the opposite opinions as Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson. They use people as their models; poses are also required in the photographs. Although this can reduce the reality of the photographs, strong and meaningful messages are demonstrated instead. From the photographs below, we can see all the people express their emotions, sad, helpless, and lost. Those kinds of photographs are the evidences of proving what happened in the 19 century. Compare to Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado took the social responsibilities to tell the audiences about the stories from behind.
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| Eugene Smith,Nurse Midwife Maude Callen (Outside Portrait With Child), 1951. http://www.joseflebovicgallery.com/Catalogue/Archive/Cat-126-2007/Large/0164.jpg |
By comparing those two different styles, Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson wait for the right moment to capture, in contrast, Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado “create” the right moment instead by editing the photographs or modifying the model object.
According to the main rules of photojournalists, images should not be altered in any sense. The original meanings and stories should be portrayed throughout the photograph. Eugene Smith and Sebastio Salgado often alter the images in order to emphasize the main ideas while Andre Kertesz and Henri Cartier-Bresson did not. There is no such better approach in this case as those photojournalists had the same goal- showing the truth, of course, by using different ways, emotions and techniques.
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