Got 'em! Blog #15 The Ethics of Photography Part 2

Ethical, proper, and correct behavior for photographers is even more important than that of a common citizen since we have the power to hurt or damage someone through the misuse of their portrait or photograph. Therefore, it is appropriate to dedicate a second Blog post to this topic. 

Here are some guidelines that every photographer, pro, amateur, or hobbyist should read. 

http://www.photoshare.org/resources/development-photography-ethics

At the end of the process of becoming a medical doctor. There is tradition where the resident is asked to recite the hypocratic oath based one of the older Greek physicians,  Hippocrates.  Somewhere in one of his early texts, it is written "Do No Harm". 

It is a popular misconception that the phrase "First do no harm" (Latin: Primum non nocere) is a part of the Hippocratic oath. Strictly speaking, the phrase does not appear in the oath, although the oath does contain "Also I will, according to my ability and judgment, prescribe a regimen for the health of the sick; but I will utterly reject harm and mischief", in latin "Victus quoque rationem ad aegrotantium salutem pro facultate, judicioque meo adhibebo, noxamvero et maleficium propulsabo".

Another equivalent phrase is found in Epidemics, Book I, of the Hippocratic school: "Practice two things in your dealings with disease: either help or do not harm the patient".The exact phrase is believed to have originated with the 19th-century surgeon Thomas Inman.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath

The edit to do not harm is appropriate for the modern day photographer as well since through social media, it is absolutely possible to do harm to a person through the use of their photograph. 

This is not our goal. 

So get out there, think, shot, think again, and have fun! 

jhg