8/6/2006: Beirut Photoshop

Undertoad · 08-06-2006, 10:19 AM

IotD is not a political blog at all, and that's by design. On the rest of the Cellar, I personally enjoy talking politics all the time. But on IotD, when it comes to politics, what's mind-boggling to me might not be mind-boggling to you and vice-versa. And the mideast, well that's like the abortion of talking politics; everyone harshly, completely on one side or the other, bringing maximum outrage to the topic. Plenty mind-boggling about it, but the arguments weigh down the enjoyable side of mind-boggling very quickly.

So why this political entry about the mideast? I dunno, I guess I think this photo is mind-boggling no matter which side you're on. Let's see what you think.

The above photo is from the Reuters news service, and I found it in Yahoo! Most Popular today at 10:30 am. As of this writing, it's still there. The caption reads:

Quote:

Smoke billows from burning buildings destroyed during an overnight Israeli air raid on Beirut's suburbs August 5, 2006. Many buildings were flattened during the attack. REUTERS/Adnan Hajj

Problem is, it's Photoshopped. The repeating sections of smoke clouds are unmistakeable "clone tool" use.

The blogosphere caught this really fast -- because it's really bad work. The photo was then cancelled by Reuters:

This might be the original:

There are various non-political aspects of this which make it mind-boggling, and I think you can enjoy it no matter whether you love or hate Israel, no matter whether you love or hate Hezbollah, no matter whether your love or hate Lebanon.

Although perhaps "enjoy" is not the right word.

It is a sign of the times. But does it mean that our information today is LESS accurate, or is it MORE accurate? The tools make it easier to fake information... while at the same time, giving the skeptical audience a way to share notes and disseminate corrections.

One other note...

I've heard news service photographers say that when Hezbollah specifically sets up a shot, sometimes it's obvious that the photographers are being "fed" -- and some photographers refuse to shoot such situations. What do you take from the above shot?

What do you take, when you find out it was taken by Adnan Hajj, the same Reuters photographer reponsible for the Photoshop?

I, for one, don't know.

MsSparkie · 08-06-2006, 10:56 AM

Good link at the bottom. Nothing surprising about their tactics, but good to see it being exposed.

Flint · 08-06-2006, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

This might be the original:

Why would they have bothered photoshopping that? It looks about the same.

Trilby · 08-06-2006, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Why would they have bothered photoshopping that? It looks about the same.

Because Arabs are way big into drama.

Anyway, those little girls were mere females (no big loss) and dying for your faith is the sure-fire way to Heaven, right? Only...only what do female martyr's get for their sacrifice? Surely not the same 70-some virgins the men are eagerly awaiting? Right? Right?

zippyt · 08-06-2006, 11:28 AM

got to AMP it up some to make the pic look good .

Griff · 08-06-2006, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Why would they have bothered photoshopping that? It looks about the same.

The multiple plumes makes it look like the bombing/artillery is more indescriminate than it really was. That lack of precision is something that plays very nicely into the extremists hands. Of course, such an obvious plant could be put out there to create the impression that all complaints of indescriminate bombing are over-blown. confused yet?
edit smelling

MaggieL · 08-06-2006, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Why would they have bothered photoshopping that? It looks about the same.

For the same reason the sat images "showing the level of destruction in Beruit" was.

"World War III will be a guerilla information war with no division between civilian and military participation." --Marshall McLuhan

lumberjim · 08-06-2006, 11:54 AM

cock

MsSparkie · 08-06-2006, 12:23 PM

glatt · 08-06-2006, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieL

For the same reason the sat images "showing the level of destruction in Beruit" was.

Are you now claiming those pictures I posted on the other thread were photoshopped? I know you scowled at the caption, but this takes your accusations to another level.

MaggieL · 08-06-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Are you now claiming those pictures I posted on the other thread were photoshopped? I know you scowled at the caption, but this takes your accusations to another level.

No, no, I'm not making that accusation at all. Insofar as I could see the WaPo image was the same as what CNN showed...although not at the same resolution.

But the (embedded) caption on the WaPo version itself was pure propaganda.

milkfish · 08-06-2006, 02:08 PM

The images are best viewed to this soundtrack.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-06-2006, 03:23 PM

My guess is they brightened and added contrast to give the buildings in the foreground more definition. That resulted in the sky being bright white so they expanded the area of smoke to tone down the sky.

It's disturbing the editor, probably a photo editor, but at least a pro, didn't spot this as a fake immediately. Deadlines be damned, the whole story, and the agency for that matter, lose credibility.

One thing is apparent, though.....Hezbollah has used the media much more effectively than the IDF, from the git-go.

Nothing But Net · 08-06-2006, 04:08 PM

Layer Style> Big Noisy Border
Window> Show Options
Select> All
Filter> Pixelate> Fragment
Layer> Flatten Image

MaggieL · 08-06-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Hezbollah has used the media much more effectively than the IDF, from the git-go.

And when US DoD "uses the media", they get criticized intensely for it. No reason to think IDF is any different; Israel has a left-wing too.

Caption: "They do like to fashion themselves as media savvy."
http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001226.html

08-06-2006, 10:56 AM	#2
MsSparkie Curious Sagittarius Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 302	Good link at the bottom. Nothing surprising about their tactics, but good to see it being exposed. __________________ ~There is a forest in an acorn......

08-06-2006, 11:28 AM	#5
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	got to AMP it up some to make the pic look good . __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

08-06-2006, 11:54 AM	#8
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	cock Attached Images __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

08-06-2006, 12:23 PM	#9
MsSparkie Curious Sagittarius Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 302	__________________ ~There is a forest in an acorn......

08-06-2006, 02:08 PM	#12
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	The images are best viewed to this soundtrack. __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams

08-06-2006, 03:23 PM	#13
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	My guess is they brightened and added contrast to give the buildings in the foreground more definition. That resulted in the sky being bright white so they expanded the area of smoke to tone down the sky. It's disturbing the editor, probably a photo editor, but at least a pro, didn't spot this as a fake immediately. Deadlines be damned, the whole story, and the agency for that matter, lose credibility. One thing is apparent, though.....Hezbollah has used the media much more effectively than the IDF, from the git-go. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-06-2006, 04:08 PM	#14
Nothing But Net Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 1,481	Layer Style> Big Noisy Border Window> Show Options Select> All Filter> Pixelate> Fragment Layer> Flatten Image

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