During the coronavirus crisis, the importance of keeping a distance from others keeps popping up. And yet, we keep seeing photos that show people standing way close to one another. The camera never lies. Or does it? Copenhagen-based photojournalists Ólafur Steinar Rye Gestsson and Philip Davali decided to debunk the myth that the camera always tells the truth. In an experiment for the photo news agency Ritzau Scanpix, they took photos in public using different lenses and perspectives. The photos they made show just how much you can change the story by simply changing the angle of view or the focal length.
DIYP got in touch with Kristian Djurhuus of Ritzau Scanpix. This news agency supplies news coverage in video and images to all Danish media. Kristian tells us that the proximity of people has widely been debated in Denmark lately, just as it has been in the rest of the world. Photos that people can see in the media play a big role and tell stories that may not necessarily be true:
Looking at these photos, folks at Ritzau Scanpix realized that their images could be misinterpreted. All images can, for that matter. The story lies in the perspective, and lens compression is another important factor that can twist the story, especially in times of crisis. So, they decided to create a series of images that show the difference in stories told through them. Ólafur and Philip hit the streets of Copenhagen and photographed the same groups of people with different lenses and from different perspectives. Take a look at the photos and see for yourself: I believe we’re all aware of the effect of lens compression. And even those who aren’t into photography know how much the angle can change the story. But in the times of crisis, when we’re all emotional, it’s easy to forget about these things. Unfortunately, some media count on that, so they doctor images and tell fake stories by simply playing with angles or lens compression. But even if there’s no misintention, readers can interpret the images wrongly. “To my knowledge regarding Danish media no conscious manipulation seems to be taking place,” Kristian tells us. “But we can talk about responsibility.” Kristian tells us that this isn’t an issue of “right lenses” versus “wrong lenses.” It’s about the story we want to tell, and about being aware how people will interpret it. “These times have made it obvious that we somehow need to make users and readers of images aware of something that only photographers used to care about,” Kristian tells DIYP, “and our images featured here is one attempt at this.” There’s another goal of this project, aimed at all media companies. In addition to being aware of how readers might interpret the images, it would also be ideal to always provide additional clarification by using captions. I believe that this project has another important function. It raises a question of media manipulation and shows us just how easy it is to do it. It reminds us to think beyond images and keep our critical thinking even in times like this when we’re under emotions. You can find more of Ólafur’s work on his website and Instagram, and Philip’s work on his website and Twitter. [via Bored Panda]
