Photography & Global Service: A Perfect Ethical Storm?

February 2, 2015

Physicians Will Bynum, Jeffrey Kinard, and Jessica Evert, in a presentation with the American Academy of Family Physicians, wonder whether we are in the midst of a perfect ethical storm thanks to:

Increasing opportunities to do humanitarian work
A camera in every pocket
Increasing outlets for publication
The ability for widespread and rapid dissemination of images
The ability to digitally manipulate images
Lack of guiding ethical and legal principles

To consider the physicians’ extraordinarily thorough, full presentation, visit The Ethics of Photographing Human Suffering on our Google drive. Be sure to view it in the presentation mode. It offers critique, insights, and principled guidance. Please read it, share it, and draw on its lessons in preparation for our upcoming Global Service & Ethical Photography Contest (full details available February 11).