Lesson 6: Manipulating Photographs: Can You Trust Photographs?

Students explore the power of photography, the role of ethics in photojournalism, and how to become informed consumers of news photography.

(Adapted from the American Photography Teacher's Guide)

Subjects: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Levels: 10-12

Time Frame: 3 class periods

Materials Needed:

• Photographs of notable historical figures, places or events.

• Reference Materials

• Access to the Internet

• Software: Photoshop

• Photo Identification Worksheet

Learning Objectives: Students will:

1. Understand the power of photography.

2. Understand the role of ethics in photojournalism.

3. Become informed consumers of news photography.

4. Analyze advantages and disadvantages of widespread use and reliance of technology in the workplace and in society as a whole.

5. Demonstrate knowledge of current changes in information technologies and the effect those changes have on the workplace and society.

6. Demonstrate and advocate for legal and ethical behaviours among peers, family, and community regarding the use of technology and information, and discusses consequences of misuse.

7. Research and evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems.

8. Identify techniques used to slant information in subtle ways.

9. Compare and contrast the credibility of differing accounts of the same event.

Procedure:

1. Develop students' interest in the topic with a preliminary journal activity. Have students write about a special photograph they remember. Why do they remember it? What emotions does it evoke? Share responses.

2. List several examples of photographs that caused change throughout the 20th century.

3. Explain the power of photographs as agents of change.

4. Provide students the photo identification worksheet.

5. List several examples of photographs where photographers deliberately changed the image. Have students select examples of photos where the photographer deliberately created an artificial scene to photograph.

6. Analyze the motivation behind these changes and its consequences.

• What's happening in the picture? Think of how the image was changed.

• What was the photographer trying to say

7. Experiment with manipulating photos.

8. Discuss the question whether photo manipulation would be acceptable and when it would not.

9. Create and research guidelines to determine a photograph's credibility.

• Establish reliability of the source (tabloid newspapers vs. a more respected news source.

• Checking the news through a variety of sources (Does a similar photo appear in each source?

• Follow a story over time.

• Purpose of the photo: Is it newsworthy? Has the subject been presented fairly? Is it accurate?

10. Distribute or display 3 - 4 photos and ask students to vote whether the images are completely accurate. Ask how they know. Discuss.

• Have students try digital manipulation of photographs to see how the truth changes. Discuss their creations.

• How easy is it to change a photo?

Photo Identification Worksheet

• Who/what does the photo show?

• What is happening in the photo?

• Where did the action take place?

• When did the action happen?

• How can you tell if the photo is a news photo?

• Why is the photo of interest?

• What evidence is there that the photo has been manipulated?

• For what purpose was it changed?

• Describe the impact of the photo.

Photography Unit

Lesson 6: Manipulating Photographs: Can You Trust Photographs?

Students explore the power of photography, the role of ethics in photojournalism, and how to become informed consumers of news photography.

Photograph Collections: 
Glenbow Archives Photographs
http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesPhotosSearch.aspx

Louise Mckinney Riverfront Photo Gallery
(not available at this time)
http://www.louisemckinneyriverfront.com/sub_pages/
Flood of 1915, Ice making, Coal & gold mining, Brickyards, Other industries, Bridges, Boats & boat building, First Nations People, Recreation and Louise McKinney

National Archives of Canada
http://www.archives.ca/
Living Memory, Places, People, and Aboriginal Peoples

Alberta Home, Home on the Plains 
http://www.abheritage.ca/pasttopresent/
Land of Opportunity, Settlement History or Rural Life

Alberta How the West Was Young
http://www.abheritage.ca/alberta/
Archaeology & Pre-Contact, First Nations & Métis, or Fur Trade & Mission History

Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
http://civilization.ca/
Archaeology, Civilizations, Cultures, First Peoples, History, and Military History

[Top]

Lesson 1: Using Historical Photographs

Lesson 2: Using Historical Photographs 2

Lesson 3: Using Specific Historical Photographs

Lesson 4: Using Photographs to Time Travel

Lesson 5: Photographic History Timeline

Lesson 6: Manipulating Photographs

Lesson 7: To Censor or Not? The Power of War Photographs

Download Lesson 6 in Word Document format.