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Manipulation of Abraham Lincoln Portrait
This was one of the first manipulated images in history. The creator of the image is unknown, but it is said that the image was created due to the lack of "heroic-like" images of Lincoln. The image on the left is a combination of two photos. Lincoln's head is placed on John Calhoun's body to portray him in a authoritative position during the election. The image signifies early manipulation of political figures to shape how they are viewed by an audience during their campaign. -
Manipulation of Ulysses S. Grant
This image is a combination of three images that portray Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on a horse with his troops in City Point, Virginia, during the Civil War. The creator of the image combined Grant's head with the body of Major Gen. Alexander McCook. The two images are combined with an image of captured confederate prisoners in the background. This misrepresents Grant as being physically fit and involved with his troops which mislead America and their opinions of the war. -
Inaccuracies of North American Indian Life
North American Indians were portrayed inaccurately to depict a lifestyle that was not representative of their true culture. Posed at the Smithsonian to portray a stereotypical Native American, natives were photographed in formal costumes they would not normally wear and often with inaccurate artifacts. These posed images strengthened the innacurate stereotype and misrepresented Native American History. -
Composograph of the Leonard “Kip” Rhinelander Trial
First seen published in the Graphic, a composograph is defined as the cutting and pasting of multiple images to imitate a scene where a camera could not go. This technique was first used in a story of the divorce trial of Leonard "Kip" Rhinelander and Alice Rhinelander. A hodgepodge of 20 photos were put together to make it look like a photo of the court. This deceptive technique led audiences to believe this as truth when it was an illustration. Audiences are weary to trust these publications. -
National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics
Founded in 1946, the National Press Photographers Association, "is dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism – its creation, practice, training, editing and distribution – in all news media and works to promote its role as a vital public service". The first issue of National Press Photographer was published in Boston, MA.
Click here to view the NPPA Code of Ethics -
Creation of Photoshop
To see a tutorial of how to use Photoshop click here.The editing software that many photographers use today was created in 1988 by Thomas and John Knoll. After coming out with the first version of the software, the Knoll brothers called it "Display." They gave it the name "Photoshop" in 1988 and began a deal with Barneyscan before catching the attention of Adobe, who bought the license for the software. Today it is used by thousands. -
Time Inc. and OJ Simpson
For trial highlights, please click here. Shortly after OJ Simpson's arrest, Time Inc. and Newsweek ran his original police mug shot on the first page. The one on the front cover of Time appeared altered and darkened, while Newsweek ran it untouched. Heated debate about race quickly followed, as many felt that the darkening of the photo gave Simpson a more evil, criminal appearance that alters people's opinions of him. -
University of Wisconsin manipulates brochure image
The admissions staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison inserted a picture of a black student into a photograph of white students on the cover of an admissions brochure in an attempt to portray a more diverse campus. This directly goes against the NPPA Code of Ethics and is a deliberate manipulation included to show what the university wanted.
Click here to see The Maneater article" -
LA Times Losing Credibility
Click here for the LA Times Updated Ethical StandardsBrian Walski was fired April 1 after he combined two of his Iraqi photographs into one to show an Iraq man as a threat. This heavily reproduced image fueled the negative image of the war and positioned those in the photo as a threat, even though this is far from the truth. By doing this, readers become less trustworthy of the paper and are stuck questioning what is really true in the media. -
The Adnan Hajj/Reuters Controversy
For an article on this, please click here. Reuters withdrew an image of smoke rising from burning buildings after an Israeli airstrike on the suburbs of Beirut. Evidence emerged that the photograph had been manipulated on Photoshop to show more, darker smoke. The photographer was fired due to his deliberate manipulation of the photo. While piecing together images to portray a desired image existed in the past, this unrealistic image leaves audiences with an untruthful, exaggerated depiction of the event that influenced their reaction -
The Slimming of Katie Couric
The Columbia Broadcasting System is an American commercial broadcast television network that published a highly edited photo of American journalist and author, Katic Couric. The CBS published photo was edited to decieve the public to believe Couric was much thinner than she actually was.
Click here for Today.com article on the slimming of Katie Couric -
Allan Detrich's Manipulated Photos
For more information, please click here. This is one of many manipulated images taken by Toledo Blade photographer, Allan Detrich. Detrich digitally added a basketball in the photo on the left to enhance the excitement of the game. An investigation into his work proved he had digitally altered almost 80 photos, 27 of which were published online and in print. Detrich was able to manipulate many of the photos in his car or on his cell phone. This how easy it was for photographers to manipulate their work. -
Obama V. BP in the Economist
The Economist used a photo of Obama with Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen and local parish president Charlotte Randolph. For its cover image, however, The Economist showed only Obama, with his head down on the beach confronting his crisis. The Economist’s deletion of the others in the photo deliberately alters the image to portray a desired, unreal image of a lonely president. This shapes the president and the issue in a false light and directly impacts an audience’s opinions and beliefs.
