What's a photographer's responsibility in commercial work?

[Alan Edward Klein]

When you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.

 

[Daniela]

A professional photographer there's only one responsibility and that is: "make the customer happy!"

That's valid, but then you have to be ready to accept potential negative consequences. Galimberti doesn't seem willing to do that and he comes off as disingenuous.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That's valid, but then you have to be ready to accept potential negative consequences. Galimberti doesn't seem willing to do that and he comes off as disingenuous.

 

[Pieter12]

The last I heard was that the B. was suing the advertising agency for promoting this campaign. Finger pointing at everybody by everybody.

They can't shuffle the blame off to the agency, they are probably more responsible for the content of the ad than the agency. The client approved the idea, saw the photos and the final ad proofs. Most fashion clients are very involved in the styling of the shot, usually present in the studio. I guess today, that can be done virtually.

Fashion advertisers have long sought controversy in their ads. Witness all the work by Helmut Newton. In today's more permissive atmosphere, advertisers feel they need to push the boundaries even further.

The bottom line in this instance is poor taste and poor judgement on everyone's part. And the combustible environment of social media, where anything can be interpreted as instant scandal. Still, this is nothing like Terry Richardson's sexual assault of underage models. https://www.marieclaire.com.au/terry-richardson-every-sexual-harassment-and-assault-allegation

 

[faberryman]

I didn't realize that the bondage bears were actually handbags sold by Balenciaga. What would be the target demographic for a bondage bear handbag?

 

[Sirius Glass]

A professional photographer there's only one responsibility and that is: "make the customer happy!"

That business model will work if one has no morals or ethics and one does not care if they are viewed as sleaze bags. A stand up person would have some limits.

 

[Paul Howell]

Unlike photojournalism I do not think commercial photography has an established ethical standard. Below is the current accepted ethics for photojournalists.

Visual Integrity - 2022 NPPA Best of Photojournalism

 

[Sirius Glass]

Unlike photojournalism I do not think commercial photography has an established ethical standard. Below is the current accepted ethics for photojournalists.

Visual Integrity - 2022 NPPA Best of Photojournalism

Are you and @RalphLambrecht saying that commercial photographers do not need scruples? They have no scruples? I hope the late Ansel Adams does not get wind of this.

 

[Pieter12]

The photographers may not be bound to an ethical standard, but advertising has some limits and rules. And any publication can refuse to run an ad it deems misleading or offensive. The internet however has no rules.

 

[jtk]

When you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.

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