Grand Prix Photo 2009 Award

I' not a fan of photo competitions, but the Grand Prix Photo 2009 Award of the Paris Match took my attention, as last week, two French art students, from Strassbourg, won first prize and € 5000.

After winning, Guillaume Chauvin et Remi Hubert revealed, that they had staged the whole documentary.

'wanted to enter the contest in order to show the codes used too often in photojournalism and to prove that something real could be translated into something staged.'"

Paris Match now feels fooled ant took the cash back.

See the photos here

Michael Fontana said:

I' not a fan of photo competitions, but the Grand Prix Photo 2009 Award of the Paris Match took my attention, as last week, two French art students, from Strassbourg, won first prize and € 5000.

After winning, Guillaume Chauvin et Remi Hubert revealed, that they had staged the whole documentary.

'wanted to enter the contest in order to show the codes used too often in photojournalism and to prove that something real could be translated into something staged.'"

Paris Match now feels fooled ant took the cash back.

See the photos here

Click to expand...

I think what these students have done is very similar to the "reality" shows which dominate the TV channels for years now. All real and fake at the same time. If I were Paris Match, I'd double their price for this social and brave experiment.

Hi,

I heard about this story : these students have been really brave, it's not easy to do such a thing ! Good lesson to all of us. As the two students said after, they are "burnt" within the photo press profession, but maybe they will access to real and good journalism instead.

Cem_Usakligil said:

.......... All real and fake at the same time. If I were Paris Match, I'd double their price for this social and brave experiment.

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Cem, that's ecaxtly what I' would do, as well.

But as Paris match is full of photos, they can't question themeselves...

Yep, Cédric, obviously the two delivred what has been expected, so they won.

Is it the end of the reportage? I don't think so, but it will become even more difficult.
Remember what we did say in front of HCB?

Remember that, as these students proved, it is easy and in most instances, easier to fabricate a story than to report.

Which is why ethics and code of honor for journalists are so absolutely important. That is why journalism is self policing and why when frabrication is uncovered the offender is black-balled from journalism for life.

As a former photojournalist, making up a story is much much easier than finding a story, tracking down leads and sources and ultimately reporting a factual story.

The rules were for a factual photo essay, the students broke the rules, they should not be rewarded for breaking the rules.

Not that I have anything against "make-believe", but the they should have enter the make-believe story into an appropriate make-believe contest.

The only thing these students did right was to come clean at the end.

Gary

Gary Ayala said:

Remember that, as these students proved, it is easy and in most instances, easier to fabricate a story than to report.

Which is why ethics and code of honor for journalists are so absolutely important. That is why journalism is self policing and why when frabrication is uncovered the offender is black-balled from journalism for life.

As a former photojournalist, making up a story is much much easier than finding a story, tracking down leads and sources and ultimately reporting a factual story.

The rules were for a factual photo essay, the students broke the rules, they should not be rewarded for breaking the rules.

Not that I have anything against "make-believe", but the they should have enter the make-believe story into an appropriate make-believe contest.

The only thing these students did right was to come clean at the end.

Gary

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, I'm with Gary on this one. I'm afraid that I'm not really appreciative of the description of the deception as art either (I have friends who were deceptively fed dog food in the name of performance art who did not appreciate that either).

I also have no problem with make-believe - just a matter of time place and description.

Mike

Well Gary and Mike

I have been asking myself what you wrote, too - but then the two students have shown something that wouldn't be the same without entering it in a real reportage competition.

With that, they point to the aspect of reportage image beeing a product dealing with the expectation of the jury and the viewer of any reportage. I don't see this much in a art-context.

Didn't we had a thread about the Unesco-competition last year?

Study is a playground, therefore different than work and assignements later.

Hi,

I think it is important to know some details about this story :

- Those two students are studying art within Decorative Arts University of Strasbourg
- They chose to cover poverty among students, a very "hot" subject but also very hidden in our society. More, you have to know that french university is in a very special context this year, as a very deep and violent protesting movement agaisnt government shakes it for months and months. Protesters are students and teachers together. They lost the battle against Sarkozy but malaise is still there.
- They decided to participate to Student Photojournalism Contest organized by Paris-Match, well-known former photojournalism periodical which was a reference in the 50s and 60s but became for a long time a kind of poor tabloïd, a people magazine
- With help from student associations involved into struggle against poverty, and their teachers, they set up a whole false report about student poverty, a subject they know well as they can live it everyday
- They pushed the subject to extreme, with incredible situations and absurdous interviews, solliciting, sex and voyeurism... and they won !

I think this act is very brave and sensfull. Maybe it is not art, but it deeply interpellates us about medias and news fabrication.

I don't know how work medias in USA and UK, but here in France we often have scandals and stories about journalists who fabricate false reports and false interviews with paid people... without any consequence for their authors. The most famous french TV presenter, Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, has been catched several times with false reports and interviews (his most famous : false interview of Saddam Hussein, with a montage !) : he staid 20 years presenting TV news, without any problem. Almost all reports we see on TV about suburbs and youth gangs, about society facts, etc, are made with paid people, they are negociated and are presenting a distorted reality.

More, french medias all belong to industrial groups very close to political world and power. They are not independent and are regularly accused to serve some private interests. Especially Paris-Match which is property of Arnaud Lagardere, boss of well-know Largardere weapons manufacturer and personal friend of our president.

So you have to know all of this to really appreciate the incredible performance of those two students...

Maybe not art but for sure real politics !

Michael Fontana said:

Well Gary and Mike

I have been asking myself what you wrote, too - but then the two students have shown something that wouldn't be the same without entering it in a real reportage competition.

With that, they point to the aspect of reportage image beeing a product dealing with the expectation of the jury and the viewer of any reportage. I don't see this much in a art-context.

Didn't we had a thread about the Unesco-competition last year?

Study is a playground, therefore different than work and assignements later.

Click to expand...

Michael, but reportage is Not a product being the expectation of the jury. Journalists are repeatedly taught Not to ask/create "leading" questions or complete the sentance of an interviewee with the reporter's words.

While it is done, especially in the electronic media, it is not a condoned practice. Those who report in a manner which will meet the expectations of a particular audience should be in public relations not journalism.

Gary

Cedric MASSOULIER said:

Hi,

I think it is important to know some details about this story :

- Those two students are studying art within Decorative Arts University of Strasbourg
- They chose to cover poverty among students, a very "hot" subject but also very hidden in our society. More, you have to know that french university is in a very special context this year, as a very deep and violent protesting movement agaisnt government shakes it for months and months. Protesters are students and teachers together. They lost the battle against Sarkozy but malaise is still there.
- They decided to participate to Student Photojournalism Contest organized by Paris-Match, well-known former photojournalism periodical which was a reference in the 50s and 60s but became for a long time a kind of poor tabloïd, a people magazine
- With help from student associations involved into struggle against poverty, and their teachers, they set up a whole false report about student poverty, a subject they know well as they can live it everyday
- They pushed the subject to extreme, with incredible situations and absurdous interviews, solliciting, sex and voyeurism... and they won !

I think this act is very brave and sensfull. Maybe it is not art, but it deeply interpellates us about medias and news fabrication.

I don't know how work medias in USA and UK, but here in France we often have scandals and stories about journalists who fabricate false reports and false interviews with paid people... without any consequence for their authors. The most famous french TV presenter, Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, has been catched several times with false reports and interviews (his most famous : false interview of Saddam Hussein, with a montage !) : he staid 20 years presenting TV news, without any problem. Almost all reports we see on TV about suburbs and youth gangs, about society facts, etc, are made with paid people, they are negociated and are presenting a distorted reality.

More, french medias all belong to industrial groups very close to political world and power. They are not independent and are regularly accused to serve some private interests. Especially Paris-Match which is property of Arnaud Lagardere, boss of well-know Largardere weapons manufacturer and personal friend of our president.

So you have to know all of this to really appreciate the incredible performance of those two students...

Maybe not art but for sure real politics !

Click to expand...

Thank you Cedric for the background information. I've viewed and read the story. Having lived in France and having student friends ... I could relate a bit to the story. I believe much of the story reflects some level of truth ... which makes it believable. I think with a little more effort, perhaps enlisting a journalist major to help with the ethical part, this could have been a factual story.

I was surprised that the students would be so bold with the potential of retribution from the authorities. I suspect that nearly if not every aspect of the story has its roots in fact. The names could have been just "pigeon fancier undergraduate", blacked out the faces, et cetera, to protect the students and professors.

As to your comments about the French media. Well ... if the French media consistantly and knowingly run stories that are not factual, in particular Paris-Match ... then the students should be allowed to keep the award as the story is a reflection of journalism in France.

In the states, we have journalists and we have media personalities who pretend to be journalists. Here journalists would be fired for falsifing a story and they would never get another job in news.

Gary

Gary Ayala said:

Michael, but reportage is Not a product being the expectation of the jury. Journalists are repeatedly taught Not to ask/create "leading" questions or complete the sentance of an interviewee with the reporter's words.

While it is done, especially in the electronic media, it is not a condoned practice. Those who report in a manner which will meet the expectations of a particular audience should be in public relations not journalism.

Gary

Click to expand...

Well Gary

the world is not alwith ideal. While there might be some serious journalists, news are produced and sold - the viewer levels making its price.

That's the way these modern media work in the not censored world.
Infotainement vs °embedded° journalism


BTW: Do you know how much your goverment spendt on PR?

"Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. George Miller, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, and other senior Democrats released a new Government Accountability Office report finding that the Bush Administration spent more than $1.6 billion in public relations and media contracts in a two and a half year span."

Go figure - thats a lot of money!

Another example:
The italian prime minister owns several newspapers and tele stations - that's been one of the keys for his elections.

" ... That's the way these modern media work in the not censored world. Infotainement vs °embedded° journalism "

Actually Michael, I know considerably about the modern media, I would even say I have some expertise, having been a photojournalist for a decade and a half for major market newspapers and wire service and a wife who was a news producer/writer for a major market television network.

"BTW: Do you know how much your goverment spendt on PR?

"Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. George Miller, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, and other senior Democrats released a new Government Accountability Office report finding that the Bush Administration spent more than $1.6 billion in public relations and media contracts in a two and a half year span."

Go figure - thats a lot of money!"

While yes, the US government spends a sizable amount of public relations, the amount spent does not minimize the fact ALL news sources and stories must be authenticated as true, factual and representative, firstly by the reporter and secondly by an editor. If a government spents $1 or $1trillion on PR, each and every story the government produces must be checked for factual and accurate representation of the story.

"Another example:
The italian prime minister owns several newspapers and tele stations - that's been one of the keys for his elections."

I cannot comment as I have little knowledge of European/Italian media and Italian government/law/politics, (while we do get some pretty interesting stories over here from Italy). Usually there is more than one side to every story. Here in the States one can choose a conservative media coverage or a liberial media coverage, a centralist media coverage, et al. Many people will hear/read the same story from different views.

I can comment on a free press in the United States:
In the US press freedom is of such importance that it is protected by the First Amendment of our Constitution.

First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Thomas Jefferson, one of the primary aurthors of our Constitution, has stated this about press freedoms (and I parapharse), I would rather live in a country with a free press and no government than in a country with a government and no free press ... and ... In the marketplace of free ideas, the truth will prevail.

I can only hope that Thomas Jefferson would have an impact on the importance of a free press in other parts of the world.

Gary