Date of Award

5-11-2025

Date Published

June 2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Mass Communications

Advisor(s)

Keren Henderson

Keywords

Computational Imaging;Diffusion of Innovations;Digital Manipulation;Journalism;Photography;Photojournalism

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how United States-based professional photojournalists are using computational imaging technologies in their smartphones from a diffusion of innovations perspective. Computational imaging can be considered “on-the-fly” photo manipulation, performing tasks such as blurring out the background the way a larger Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) or Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera can, or simulating lighting that didn’t exist on the scene. As image manipulation was previously viewed as taboo in photojournalism (Reaves, 1992), the increased usage of smartphones with computational imaging embedded in software could have wide-reaching implication for ethics research regarding the industry. In-depth interviews with newspaper and web news organization photo editors, staff photographers, wire service photographers and freelance photojournalists in the United States will demonstrate how far the technology has permeated the traditional print and web still photojournalism industry, what factors influence the visual journalist’s use of computational imaging, and what the ethical implications of that are. The aim of this research will be to provide a framework for molding new ethical standards that can be adopted by news agencies and publications, which can then be further used as a framework for the use of expanded technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in journalism.

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Open Access

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