Kozhikode: Newspapers bring a lot of photographs everyday but there are many more that could not make it to the pages. Many of them possibly are the best of the lensmen who shot them but failed to reach the reader not for no reason. And photographers and news editors have a lot to say about why ill-fate falls on them.
“There are legal, political and humanitarian reasons behind a photo remain unpublished,” said P.J. Joshua, chief news editor of Malayala Manorama. He was speaking at ‘Unpublished Photos’, a discussion of senior photographers and editors held at Press Club here on Wednesday as a part of photo exhibition by veteran photojournalist P. Musthafa.
“Every news photographer would have sacrificed the results of his hardwork respecting the situational demands,” Mr Joshua said. “Brilliant pictures taken during the Marad communal riot, gruesome clicks capturing the graveness of road mishaps and sexual abuse etc were put on hold fearing public sentiment and keeping professional ethics.”
Amazing news photos of Mr Musthafa during the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya too was not published fearing consequences, he pointed out.
Senior editors and photographers who shared incidents from their long experience in the field agreed that news photography has travelled a long way to reach its present position. Change in trends and progress in technology helped the photojournalists with a better exposure, they pointed out.
“Every photograph is for the satisfaction of my soul” said C. Choyikutty, senior photographer. Kasim Irikur, Deputy Editor of Madhyamam, congratulated Mr Mustafa for having the enthusiasm and strong will which took him to the heights of his career. Senior journalists N.P. Rajendran, A. Sajeevan and photographer Ajeeb Komachi also spoke.
The exhibition of news photographs going on in the Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery will end on Thursday.
