The same week the LA Times was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes, they talk about their photographer assigned to Iraq who altered a photograph to improve the photograph’s composition. The photoshop-happy photographer was dismissed.

This raises an interesting question for the Times Rights and Permissions FAQ that I stumbled across regarding the licensing of Times’ articles, photos and graphics:

Q: May I alter the photograph or graphic illustration?
A: No, photographs and graphics must be used as published.

Must the licensee use the altered photograph “as published” even though it was altered? You see where I’m going…