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Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer banned by AP after photo alteration

The Associated Press announced Wednesday that it has ended its relationship with Narciso Contreras, a Pulitzer Prize-winning freelance photographer who altered a photo that he took last September in Syria.

The alteration in question: "The removal of a video camera seen in a corner of a frame showing a Syrian opposition fighter taking cover during a clash with government forces."

Though a seemingly benign alteration, it fell beneath the guidelines of the AP’s News Values & Principles, which state that AP pictures "must always tell the truth. We do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photograph in any way. … No element should be digitally added to or subtracted from any photograph.”

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“AP’s reputation is paramount and we react decisively and vigorously when it is tarnished by actions in violation of our ethics code,” AP Vice President and Director of Photography Santiago Lyon wrote in a statement. “Deliberately removing elements from our photographs is completely unacceptable and we have severed all relations with the freelance photographer in question. He will not work for the AP again in any capacity.”

Talk about zero tolerance.

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