Reuters photoshoping photos from Lebanon?

[Abu_Elvis]

Discussion is in progress on many blogs. Link to LGF, blog that became famous when it exposed Dan Rather in "Rathergate" Bush national guard memo affair:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21956_Reuters_Doctoring_Photos_from_Beirut&only

It seems that they don't even know how to properly use photoshop. I guess that reuters should invest in educating their photographers how to fake photos. I would do a better PS job, and I am not an expert.

[Superking]

Very poor photoshop at that.

[Atlantic Friend]

Apparently Reuters admitted there was "improper photo editing" :

PICTURE KILL FOR LBN20 TRANSMITTED AT APPROXIMATELY 1408GMT ON AUGUST 5, 2006. PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE WAS IMPROPERLY USED ON THIS IMAGE. A CORRECTED VERSION WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THIS ADVISORY. PLEASE REMOVE THE IMAGE FROM YOUR SYSTEMS. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. REUTERS LBN20 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 (LEBANON) REUTERS NEWS PICTURES

[Abu_Elvis]

Apparently Reuters admitted there was "improper photo editing" :
Yes, here are the details:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3286966,00.html
Reuters admits altering Beirut photo

Reuters withdraws photograph of Beirut after Air Force attack after US blogs, photographers point out 'blatant evidence of manipulation'
Yaakov Lappin

A Reuters photograph of smoke rising from buildings in Beirut has been withdrawn after coming under attack by American web logs. The blogs accused Reuters of distorting the photograph to include more smoke and damage.


The photograph showed two very heavy plumes of black smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut after an Air Force attack on the Lebanese capital. Reuters has since withdrawn the photograph from its website, along a message admitting that the image was distorted, and an apology to editors.
http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/856456/LBN20_wa(1).jpg

[Elemental666]

Well always nice to see the creative side of journalism.:roll:

[California Joe]

When I was a DoD we had an SOP come down from the Joint Command about manipulation of official photos within the government, let alone something being sent out to the public. I would venture to say that most photos out there today are probably opened in photoshop, tweaked for sharpness and color etc before they are ever published but lame manipulations of them should be against news company policies.

[Firetxmi]

When I was a DoD we had an SOP come down from the Joint Command about manipulation of official photos within the government, let alone something being sent out to the public. I would venture to say that most photos out there today are probably opened in photoshop, tweaked for sharpness and color etc before they are ever published but lame manipulations of them should be against news company policies.

I agree. X Infinity :D

[budgie]

Yes, here are the details:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3286966,00.html
Reuters admits altering Beirut photo

Reuters withdraws photograph of Beirut after Air Force attack after US blogs, photographers point out 'blatant evidence of manipulation'
Yaakov Lappin

A Reuters photograph of smoke rising from buildings in Beirut has been withdrawn after coming under attack by American web logs. The blogs accused Reuters of distorting the photograph to include more smoke and damage.


The photograph showed two very heavy plumes of black smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut after an Air Force attack on the Lebanese capital. Reuters has since withdrawn the photograph from its website, along a message admitting that the image was distorted, and an apology to editors.
http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/856456/LBN20_wa(1).jpg

More than likely they won't be accepting submissions from that photographer anymore.

This doesn't look like another case of the evil liberal media trying to distort the truth to me. Let's be honest there are plenty of real photos coming out of Lebanon that look just as bad.

[Zoomie]

More than likely they won't be accepting submissions from that photographer anymore.
Nope, they're still using his photos (http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=adnan+hajj&c=news_photos).

This doesn't look like another case of the evil liberal media trying to distort the truth to me. Let's be honest there are plenty of real photos coming out of Lebanon that look just as bad.

That may be so, but why then would they accept such a lame photoshop job?

[budgie]

Nope, they're still using his photos (http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=adnan+hajj&c=news_photos).



That may be so, but why then would they accept such a lame photoshop job?

Wow,those are pretty powerful pics. You think they're photoshopped too? Perhaps ALL the photos from Lebanon are photoshopped. Prehaps this isn't happening at all. We all know smart bombs never miss.

Oh and by the way, from the link you provided, the corrected pic. Looks like it's all smiles in Beirut today after all:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060806/ids_photos_wl/r1119244085.jpg

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Dearest Mr. Hajj,
It is with respect and regret that we must call into question one of your recent invoices. I refer to invoice #102 dated 5 Aug. 2006.

On line item 3, "Beirut skyline smoke" - we were unhappy with the quality of the finished product, and therefore would like a discount on your services. Your fee schedule lists your "distortions, manipulations and photographic lies" rate as $1000 an hour. The finished product- the picture of the smoke etc. is very poorly done, and it's obvious that you were rushing to complete other projects for us. We know we're keeping you very busy, but that's no excuse for poor workmanship.

We believe it is only fair that you reduce the distortion fee on this one item by half. We will agree to pay $500, with the understanding that your work will be more professional in the future. And of course we will keep setting 'em up so you can keep knocking 'em down. I think we can both agree that we've got a good thing going here, so let's not mess it up with poor quality work.

Hugs,

Hezbollah.

[Secret Squirrel]

In reality there isnt even a war happening; it's just the media and their evil lies and doctored pictures. Nothing more to see here, move along.

[Godspeed-]

Amusing how you terror supporters will find a way no matter what, to sarcasticly excuse yourself out of something such as photoshopping war pics.

Yes, there is a war, and yes, lots of civilians get hurt on both sides..
But when pics are getting edited in such a way, you know something's not right in what the global media sees as the truth.

[Firetxmi]

Amusing how you terror supporters will find a way no matter what, to sarcasticly excuse yourself out of something such as photoshopping war pics.



Ahahaha! You have been sucking too much administration cock. I think you are actually starting to believe this stuff!

[Asheren]

Well i would rather chose to belive that it was done by some sort of terror supporters not someone corrupted enough to photoshop pictures to (depending on where it was done) get more $$ for his photos,have some material better than other stations got. Main question remains how offen this is done. Looking on way they do it its like it was nothing new for them that picture is heavy photoshoped. I don't want even to think about possible consequences if such statement is true.

[Godspeed-]

What... stuff? Please explain yourself.
I'm here for eh, 2 days? bearly? I don't even know who the admins\mods are.

[Moddy]

Anyone got a before/after comparison? I cant find one anywhere.

[HOLLiS]

Wasn't the reporter/photographer the same person who published on the "so-called" Qana massacre? The now known confirms deahs are about half of those originally reported and there are still questions as to those deaths.

[California Joe]

This is not some grand manipulation or media frigging strategy, more like some dickhead with an axe to grind and piss poor photoshop skills. For chrissakes, I can make photos look real. Me and 14 million teenagers that play with the software all damned day. Why would a news agency purposefully let some turd submit that piece of crap. If it was a conspiracy it would have been done flawlessly. For all we know it was some joker playing around with it on his desktop to enhance the drama and put it in the "for publication" file server.

At work I have used enhanced pictures from 9/11 to make them more dramatic and ominous for anti terrorism publications for internal seminars etc. It was done for dramatic effect to drive home the point.

[Macs.]

Get your Tinfoil-hats out !

[Firetxmi]

What... stuff? Please explain yourself.
I'm here for eh, 2 days? bearly? I don't even know who the admins\mods are.

The use of terror supporter to describe someone who is not lock-step with this administration. Or any of the other cliches that come up ever so often on this forum.

[HOLLiS]

The use of terror supporter to describe someone who is not lock-step with this administration. Or any of the other cliches that come up ever so often on this forum.


Fire, it is a issue, There are valid ways to challenge and to question. During conflict, I think one needs to be careful. The "enemy" with take advantage of our internal problems. So the challenge become how to challenge the government with out aiding the other side. I don't know if you read much of the Election of 1864, In our countries greatest struggle, This was a extremely big issue. Copperheads in the North used political freedoms to aid the South.

Personally if the challenge is presented in honesty and not for some self purpose political pandering, It is very much needed. The Politics goes in all direction, and I feel at the cost of our military personal. No one side has clean hands. I don't know if there is a clear solution. I think for us as Americans is to do our best to try to understand and serve the best for our country, and support others that do.

Now that was easily said........ I think at the local level we have the best information and the greatest impact, on a national level.........who knows.

[Herrmannek]

This is not some grand manipulation or media frigging strategy, more like some dickhead with an axe to grind and piss poor photoshop skills. For chrissakes, I can make photos look real. Me and 14 million teenagers that play with the software all damned day. Why would a news agency purposefully let some turd submit that piece of crap. If it was a conspiracy it would have been done flawlessly. For all we know it was some joker playing around with it on his desktop to enhance the drama and put it in the "for publication" file server.

At work I have used enhanced pictures from 9/11 to make them more dramatic and ominous for anti terrorism publications for internal seminars etc. It was done for dramatic effect to drive home the point.

Its fine when photoop is done for propaganda media, but when photoop is published on news site things change... Of course I'm far from calling this a conspiracy, but even if its a mere loose quality check it doesn't sound good for any newsagency...

[Firetxmi]

Fire, it is a issue, There are valid ways to challenge and to question. During conflict, I think one needs to be careful. The "enemy" with take advantage of our internal problems. So the challenge become how to challenge the government with out aiding the other side. I don't know if you read much of the Election of 1864, In our countries greatest struggle, This was a extremely big issue. Copperheads in the North used political freedoms to aid the South.

Personally if the challenge is presented in honesty and not for some self purpose political pandering, It is very much needed. The Politics goes in all direction, and I feel at the cost of our military personal. No one side has clean hands. I don't know if there is a clear solution. I think for us as Americans is to do our best to try to understand and serve the best for our country, and support others that do.

Now that was easily said........ I think at the local level we have the best information and the greatest impact, on a national level.........who knows.


I agree, but I think calling someone a "Terror Supporter" is unbelieveable! I do not support a lot of the things that this administration does or stands for, but I in no way support terror, condone 9/11, rejoyce at the killing of innocent civilians etc. I think to call someone a "terror supporter" because they do not agree with certain policies is not only insulting, but incorrect. It is a way of dividing this nation and denigrating someone you do not agree with. It has become more popular among both parties lately (in the last few years) to do this. Its just the same old "your with us or against us" mentality that has gotten us into deeper trouble! It reminds me of the old "you commie" b.s. that was oh so popular.

[Minardiau]

Before we have a go at Reuters I ask this question.

How many photographs have been released by the government that have been PS'd to either prove their point or to remove sensitive information?

[California Joe]

We were never allowed to do that for the purpose of propaganda. We did however remove badges, or anything that was classified. Same reasons we black out Spec Ops guys around here.

[Minardiau]

I'm not just talking about this conflict.

The official Australian WW1 photographer edited the crap out of his photos on the western fron to add dramatic effect. And done a bloody good job at it to.

[Macs.]

I just don't get whats so big about it...

It seems like some dork tried to (poorly) add some smoke to the picture, for whatever purpose. Where is the big deal ?

[Abu_Elvis]

This is nothing new. They do the same every time they can. Jenin "massacre", for which Saeb Erkat, pally politician that made the story up, admited that it is fake, with an excuse, children were traumatized by hearing gunfire, isn't that a massacre too? Then, Muhamed a Dura story, that was proven to be fake too, then Qana story, where number of victims went down 3-fold, and there are serious questions about it, like why building collapsed 8 hours after the bombing, and how did fresh corpses have rigor mortis (doesn't happen for some 12 hours), etc.

It is nothing new. This story: http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/reports/The_Photo_that_Started_it_All.asp
prompted some people to start the site Honest Reporting, and it is enough to go trough their archive of reports to get the full picture about media honesty, or, to be precise, lack of it.

[Secret Squirrel]

how did fresh corpses have rigor mortis (doesn't happen for some 12 hours), etc.

I'm sure you meant to say that RM begins a few mins or hours after death and continues from there, with varying levels of stiffness. A body doesnt simply hit the 12 hour mark and then freeze like a board for x number of hours/days afterwards.;)

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Personally, I just find it disturbing withing the context of this particular conflict. Everybody, especially Hezbollah, knows that they cannot and will not win this on the basis of military superiority. They will gain what they gain, if anything, through political pressure exerted as a result of media reporting of the war. We have already had reports of the Qana scene being doctored and/or staged - and now this (and the same guy supplied many of the pictures of Qana).

The fact that this was such a piss-poor job and obviously faked...and that it sailed through without a whit of scrutiny, is pretty telling.

http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/2shedsjackson/aeu.jpg
Reuters editor- "yeah, Godzilla is Jewish, isn't he? Yeah, that one's fine..."

[Abu_Elvis]

I'm sure you meant to say that RM begins a few mins or hours after death and continues from there, with varying levels of stiffness. A body doesnt simply hit the 12 hour mark and then freeze like a board for x number of hours/days afterwards.;)
It is not noticable until hours have passed. But, let us not turn the thread into a bizarre topic like that. It is about media distortions, not corpses. I don't want to talk about corpses, and I am not going to be pulled into a flame war about corpses.

[Secret Squirrel]

It is not noticable until hours have passed. But, let us not turn the thread into a bizarre topic like that. It is about media distortions, not corpses. I don't want to talk about corpses, and I am not going to be pulled into a flame war about corpses.

Actually it depends on various factors (ie. temperature where the person died). And I think this topic compliments the thread perfectly if for no other reason than to expose your distortions.

[Herrmannek]

We were never allowed to do that for the purpose of propaganda.
Cali I would trust you with anything :)

[Asheren]

I'm sure you meant to say that RM begins a few mins or hours after death and continues from there, with varying levels of stiffness. A body doesnt simply hit the 12 hour mark and then freeze like a board for x number of hours/days afterwards.;)

Actualy from what i remmeber about pathology RM can be broken by forced movement of limbs. If it is done not long after death it might return but in weaker form. There are other and better ways to tell when person died. Eyes, body tepm, insects egs or larvas etc. etc. If my memory is corect RM disappear some time after death.

[Zvucni Efekti]

Fire, it is a issue, There are valid ways to challenge and to question. During conflict, I think one needs to be careful. The "enemy" with take advantage of our internal problems. So the challenge become how to challenge the government with out aiding the other side. I don't know if you read much of the Election of 1864, In our countries greatest struggle, This was a extremely big issue. Copperheads in the North used political freedoms to aid the South.

Personally if the challenge is presented in honesty and not for some self purpose political pandering, It is very much needed. The Politics goes in all direction, and I feel at the cost of our military personal. No one side has clean hands. I don't know if there is a clear solution. I think for us as Americans is to do our best to try to understand and serve the best for our country, and support others that do.

Now that was easily said........ I think at the local level we have the best information and the greatest impact, on a national level.........who knows.

Uh, the guy you were talking to isn't Israeli, and neither are you, so what "enemy" are you talking about here? The media? What does any of what you said have to do with the Lebanon-Israeli Conflict, as an American?

[jmatucd]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3256534,00.html

"Reuters employee issues 'Zionist pig' death threat

Worker suspended after telling American blogger: 'I look forward to day when you pigs get your throats cut' "

[Zvucni Efekti]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3256534,00.html

"Reuters employee issues 'Zionist pig' death threat

Worker suspended after telling American blogger: 'I look forward to day when you pigs get your throats cut' "

At least the blogger doesn't have to worry about being eaten... ;)

[Ichhabe]

Amusing how you terror supporters will find a way no matter what, to sarcasticly excuse yourself out of something such as photoshopping war pics.



Huh? Where in this thread do you find that anyone try to excuse PS?
Am I blind???

[Firetxmi]

Actualy from what i remmeber about pathology RM can be broken by forced movement of limbs. If it is done not long after death it might return but in weaker form. There are other and better ways to tell when person died. Eyes, body tepm, insects egs or larvas etc. etc. If my memory is corect RM disappear some time after death.

You are correct. RM disappears after a while. I can pm anyone the specific information if someone is interested (cross-bridges, ATP, Bla bla bla). :D

[GDS_Starfury]

I dont like it when a respectable company that is depended of for providing accurate imagery does something like this.

Reuters admits to doctoring Beirut photo
By JPOST.COM STAFF




In the most recent in a series of online controversies to take on the mainstream media, a series of Web sites discredited a Reuters photograph of the fighting in Lebanon, forcing the news agency to issue an apology and remove the image from their archives.

The photograph by Adnan Hajj, which shows plumes of smoke rising from downtown Beirut after an IAF bombing, appeared to have been doctored to show more intense smoke and destruction over the city.

The Reuters news agency issued a statement acknowledging that "photo editing software was improperly used on this image. A corrected version will immediately follow this advisory. We are sorry for any inconvenience."

Reuters' head of PR Moira Whittle said that "Reuters has suspended a photographer until investigations are completed into changes made to a photograph showing smoke billowing from buildings following an air strike on Beirut. Reuters takes such matters extremely seriously as it is strictly against company editorial policy to alter pictures."

"As soon as the allegation came to light, the photograph, filed on Saturday 5 August, was removed from the file and a replacement, showing the same scene, was sent," she added. "The explanation for the removal was the improper use of photo-editing software."

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20060805BeirutPhotoshop04.jpg

[Jeremiah]

LONDON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Reuters, the global news and information agency, told a freelance Lebanese photographer on Sunday it would not use any more of his pictures after he doctored an image of the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Beirut. ...

Reuters withdrew the doctored image on Sunday and replaced it with the unaltered photograph after several news blogs said it had been manipulated using Photoshop software to show more smoke. Reuters has strict standards of accuracy that bar the manipulation of images in ways that mislead the viewer.

“The photographer has denied deliberately attempting to manipulate the image, saying that he was trying to remove dust marks and that he made mistakes due to the bad lighting conditions he was working under,” said Moira Whittle, the head of public relations for Reuters.

“This represents a serious breach of Reuters’ standards and we shall not be accepting or using pictures taken by him,” Whittle said in a statement issued in London. Hajj worked for Reuters as a non-staff freelance, or contributing photographer, from 1993 until 2003 and again since April 2005.

[Noob Brit]

Oops, bit of a cack-handed use of the clone tool. If you're going to fake a photograph distributed worldwide by Reuters at least do a decent job of it :roll:

[alexz]

Is this the same news company that refused to call terrorists by their
approptiate name?

[titget]

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21956_Reuters_Doctoring_Photos_from_Beirut&only

Littlegreenfootballs has some interesting shots and findings of the photo too..

[Macs.]

“The photographer has denied deliberately attempting to manipulate the image, saying that he was trying to remove dust marks and that he made mistakes due to the bad lighting conditions he was working under,”
Worst excuse ever... rofl

[Lokos]

Dearest Mr. Hajj,
It is with respect and regret that we must call into question one of your recent invoices. I refer to invoice #102 dated 5 Aug. 2006.

On line item 3, "Beirut skyline smoke" - we were unhappy with the quality of the finished product, and therefore would like a discount on your services. Your fee schedule lists your "distortions, manipulations and photographic lies" rate as $1000 an hour. The finished product- the picture of the smoke etc. is very poorly done, and it's obvious that you were rushing to complete other projects for us. We know we're keeping you very busy, but that's no excuse for poor workmanship.

We believe it is only fair that you reduce the distortion fee on this one item by half. We will agree to pay $500, with the understanding that your work will be more professional in the future. And of course we will keep setting 'em up so you can keep knocking 'em down. I think we can both agree that we've got a good thing going here, so let's not mess it up with poor quality work.

Hugs,

Hezbollah.

Was I the only one who LOL'd? Come on, people.

Good one, 2Sheds.

Lokos

[sferrin]

Oops, bit of a cack-handed use of the clone tool. If you're going to fake a photograph distributed worldwide by Reuters at least do a decent job of it :roll:

I love this part "A corrected version will immediately follow this advisory." Not the original version but a corrected one ie. one done by somebody who actually knows how to use Photoshop.

[tanks_alot]

What were they thinking about when they published it? someone using the clone tool for the first time can do a better job than that.....

[RECON DOC]

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21956_Reuters_Doctoring_Photos_from_Beirut&only

Littlegreenfootballs has some interesting shots and findings of the photo too..

Thanks for the link Bridget

It is remarkable to me how far newspapers will go to sell papers or draw the internet viewers to their web sites, And beleive it, that these news conglomerants will let crap like this slide if they're not called on it. They are the farthest thing from innocent. The more agitated the people are, the more money they make, so they make it their job to keep agitating.
It's so gross.

OK, I'm done ranting now :|

[HOLLiS]

Was I the only one who LOL'd? Come on, people.

Good one, 2Sheds.

Lokos


Well lets face it, 2Shed has a very excellent way/gift with words.......... and you are correct in appaulding it, But do we really want ,,,,,,,,, Better not say it,
:bash: <-me

Humor got to love it.........

I still am getting a big kick out of the Evil Zionist Godzilla smashing Beriut ............ That is absolutely excellent,

[signatory]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8347/zidanelebjh9.jpg

[shocker1]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8347/zidanelebjh9.jpg
LOL, that photo will end up on a poster at some anti-zionist rally in Iran.

[Zoomie]

Cox and Forkum do it again!rofl
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/7225/060806firstcasualtyxrv8.gif

[Paracaidista]

I posted it in another thread. It's somewhat related to doctoring media: Pallywood (http://www.break.com/index/what_really_happens_pallywood.html)

[Asheren]

Good too hear that it seems reporter was responsible for PS. (if they don't use him as a scape goat) I won't be first such story with "credible" news. Some time ago i read article in one of our newspaper about jurnalist that traveled many km throu war torn lebanon to small village where acording to news IDF bombed home kiling some civilians. When he got there, he meet around 30 hizbullach fighters they told him that vilage is abandon for some time only peoples that remain there are militiants preparing do defend it from IDF. Ill try to find that article in digital version and in english but it will be difficult.

Such events lead to one conclusion no ME news source is credible anymore and propably never will be unless foregin jurnalists go there themself still it won't be 100% chance that they will learn what realy happen. I personaly wonder did Haji made this photo PS it to get better price or due to extremist personal beliefs. Did he do it alone or he had some "friends" if he is connected somehow to hezbollach(or other extremist organisation) it might mean that someone is performing operation to feed westen peoples with propaganda using news agencies they trust providing them wiht fake/biased news material via "thrid" "credible" party.

If PS job was done in Reuters and maker of this photo is a scape goat then:
a)extremists/terrorist sympathisers are in news agencies nothing new considering that propably large part of ME dep is form some arab countries or their families are form ME. More disturbing is that this folks might tamper with materials and peoples will swallow it whole because its credible news agency.
b) some extremists group might make some sort of coordinated effort to put their peoples in news agencies in purpose of altering news towards their goals.
c) they did it for some other financial/political reasons

Free inedependent and credible media well looks like there is no such thing anymore.

[XShipRider]

Yet the naysayers continue to rant against the bloggers. They're the
average folks out there keeping the 'watchers' honest. If it weren't for
them Dan Rather would still have a job.

The old saying was "the camera doesn't lie." The new saying needs
to add " but the cameraman (or editor) does."

[Mr. Nielsen]

I posted it in another thread. It's somewhat related to doctoring media: Pallywood (http://www.break.com/index/what_really_happens_pallywood.html)
Yes, its doctored itself.:lol:

As for the Reuters photo I have a hardtime seeing it as a manipulation beyond making a photograph looking more dramatic for the purpose of...having it look more dramatic. It could just as well have been the skyline of Haifa that had been doctored by some photographer.

But regardless news photos are not the place to manipulate anything beyond light and color balance. And hopefully this will discourage other photographers from confusing photographiv art and journalism.

[signatory]

More from our dear friend Hajj

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/8815/news03080601oh4.jpg


An Israeli F-16 warplane fires missiles during an air strike on Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon, August 2, 2006. (LEBANON) 02 Aug 2006 REUTERS/Adnan Hajj

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1782/hajjfakebxo4.jpg

It's still up: http://photos.reuters.com/Pictures/Slideshow.aspx?name=632901826701562500&kw=&id=1

[Kilgor]

but wait a second ? ... we've always been told that jews control the international media !

[Herrmannek]

Sighnatory you are wrong, its clearly edited to remove large grain, proly made in poor ligh conditions(lcd panel was completly turned off :) )...

[signatory]

but wait a second ? ... we've always been told that jews control the international media !

I expect certain people to declare Hajj a Mossad PR operative....

[Atlantic Friend]

http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/2shedsjackson/aeu.jpg
Reuters editor- "yeah, Godzilla is Jewish, isn't he? Yeah, that one's fine..."

"Reuters : 58 civilians gravely wounded during Godzilla's bris milah - Mayor blames falling foreskin."

[Herrmannek]

http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/cartoons/080706.jpg
if doesn't work click
http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/2006/08/07/#a003738

[mi35d]

Recently took a few shots at a change of command ceremony. Passed them off to the PAO and was bitched at because I PS'ed out a mini van that was behind the commander's head. Contrast, lighting, minor imperfections - that's it.

DOD gets rather anal about the picture thing.

[Beaufort]

Reuters admits to more image manipulation

News organization withdraws photograph of Israeli fighter jet, admits image was doctored, fires photographer. Reuters pledges 'tighter editing procedure for images of the Middle East conflict'
Yaakov Lappin

Reuters has withdrawn a second photograph and admitted that the image was doctored, following the emergence of new suspicions against images provided by the news organization. On Sunday, Reuters admitted that one of its photographers, Adnan Hajj, used software to distort an image of smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut in order to create the effect of more smoke and damage.


The latest image to face doubts is a photograph of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over the skies of Lebanon, seen in the image firing off "missiles during an air strike on Nabatiyeh," according to the image's accompanying text provided by Reuters.



http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/857990/LBN12_wa.jpg
Reuters has recalled all photos by Adnan Hajj

Rusty Shackleford, owner of the My Pet Jawa web log (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/) , noted that the warplane in the picture is actually firing defensive flares aimed at dealing with anti-aircraft missiles. In addition, Shackelford says the flares have been replicated by Reuters, giving the impression that the jet was firing many "missiles," thereby distortion the image.



http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/857867/1l_wa.jpg
Another manipuated Reuters image

"The F-16 in the photo is not firing missiles, but is rather dropping chaffe or flares designed to be a decoy for surface to air missiles. However, a close up (of) what Hajj calls "missiles" reveals that only one flare has been dropped. The other two "flares" are simply copies of the original," Shackleford wrote. "But what about the 'bombs' in the photo? Here is a close up of them. Notice anything? That's right. The top and bottom "bomb" are the same."


"Reuters has withdrawn from its database all photographs taken by Beirut-based freelance Adnan Hajj after establishing that he had altered two images since the start of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Hizbullah group," a statement by the news outlet said.

"Reuters has decided to withdraw all photos taken by freelancer Adnan Hajj after discovering in the last 24 hours that he altered two photographs since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah," the organization's website told news editors.

'Tighter editing needed'


In its statement, Reuters also said it would apply "tighter editing procedure for images of the Middle East conflict to ensure that no photograph from the region would be transmitted to subscribers without review by the most senior editor on the Reuters Global Pictures Desk."

"Reuters terminated its relationship with Hajj on Sunday after a review of a photograph he had taken of the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on suburban Beirut the previous day found it had been manipulated using Photoshop software to show more and darker smoke rising from buildings. An immediate enquiry began into Hajj’s other work. It found on Monday that a second photograph, of an Israeli F-16 fighter over Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon and dated Aug 2, had been doctored to increase the number of flares dropped by the plane from one to three," Reuters said.

Other Reuters images have been called into question by blogs in the United States. A reader of the Power Line blog (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/@%28copy_from_editor%29@http://powerlineblog.com/archives/014919.php) wrote: "I don't know if this has been brought to anyone's attention yet, but in a quick search of the authenticated Reuters photographs attributed to Adnan Hajj, I found the following two. One is from July 24 of a bombed out area in Beirut, with a clearly identifiable building in a prominent part of the shot. The second is of the exact same area, same buildings, same condition, with a woman walking past "a building flattened during an overnight Israeli air raid on Beirut's suburbs August 5, 2006."

“There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image", Reuters' statement quoted Tom Szlukovenyi, Reuters Global Picture Editor.

A film (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/@%28copy_from_editor%29@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ5Rj4yBGdU) released on the YouTube video sharing website compares the two images, and appears to show striking similarities between the photograph used by Reuters on both July 24 and August 5.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3287774,00.html

[panzerjager]

http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/2shedsjackson/aeu.jpg
Reuters editor- "yeah, Godzilla is Jewish, isn't he? Yeah, that one's fine..."

That pic made my morning!! Thx 2sheds!

[Firetxmi]

Recently took a few shots at a change of command ceremony. Passed them off to the PAO and was bitched at because I PS'ed out a mini van that was behind the commander's head. Contrast, lighting, minor imperfections - that's it.

DOD gets rather anal about the picture thing.

And with good reason.

[americanbychoice]

Reuters admits to more image manipulation

...

“There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image", Reuters' statement quoted Tom Szlukovenyi, Reuters Global Picture Editor.
Again, this just calls into question the whole issue of journalistic integrity when it comes to the craft/art of reportage with regards to this ugly current event.

What is real? Who is to be believed?

Am I supposed to be so stupid as to believe that this one guy Hajj is the only source of manipulated data/media coming out of Reuters?

What people say they believe about what goes on over there... I think it shows a lot about their beliefs.

As said elsewhere, the photos & stories about this Israeli-"Lebanese" conflict are like a Rorschach test on personal views about the Jews and their neighbors... it's fascinating.

[Firetxmi]

Reuters admits to more image manipulation



This is getting rediculous, I sure hope tighter restrictions are put in place.

[Zoomie]

This is getting rediculous, I sure hope tighter restrictions are put in place.

Heh, I doubt it. Though it has to make you wonder if they actually had someone looking at the photos before approving them.

[Huhtis]

I just looked thru many of these Adnan Hajj´s pictures that are still up at Yahoo! and found many more of these poor photoshops(I think, im not still sure)

Examples:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060805/photos_ts/2006_08_05t072404_450x317_us_mideast
You can clearly see how ruins were added later in this picture.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060804/ids_photos_wl/r589056674.jpg
You can see how those "boats" just dont fit

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060803/photos_ts/2006_08_02t130630_450x333_us_mideast
Smoke cloud poorly added afterwards

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20060802/2006_08_02t015315_450x300_us_mideast.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=ETcxA63wC80rGrhQF59KMw--
This dude just looks like he is floating over the ground

Im still not so sure about these but they just look so unreal

[Secret Squirrel]

I just looked thru many of these Adnan Hajj´s pictures that are still up at Yahoo! and found many more of these poor photoshops(I think, im not still sure)

Im still not so sure about these but they just look so unreal

You should increase your medication.;)

[Huhtis]

You should increase your medication.;)

But, BUT I know the TRUTH!
Are you trying to silence me? This is conspiracy!
;)

[Abu_Elvis]

I just looked thru many of these Adnan Hajj´s pictures that are still up at Yahoo! and found many more of these poor photoshops(I think, im not still sure)

Examples:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060805/photos_ts/2006_08_05t072404_450x317_us_mideast
You can clearly see how ruins were added later in this picture.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060804/ids_photos_wl/r589056674.jpg
You can see how those "boats" just dont fit

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060803/photos_ts/2006_08_02t130630_450x333_us_mideast
Smoke cloud poorly added afterwards

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/nm/20060802/2006_08_02t015315_450x300_us_mideast.jpg?x=380&y=253&sig=ETcxA63wC80rGrhQF59KMw--
This dude just looks like he is floating over the ground

Im still not so sure about these but they just look so unreal
Another photoshob job was caught, and reuters killed all Adnan Hajj's photos.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3287774,00.html
EDIT: Just seen that someone posted this story.

[Snoshi]

This is ridiculous

[Abu_Elvis]

This is ridiculous
It is not, it is normal buissness. Some were recalled because they were obviously photoshoped. But, staged photos are never killed.
http://photos2.flickr.com/2312053_e26a1e702a.jpg

[Abu_Elvis]

Here's another one... This time not photoshop but obvious staging. Same woman grieving over loss of her home, twice, in two different locations.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/2043/woman2me0.jpg
A Lebanese woman reacts at the destruction after she came to inspect her house in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, after Israeli warplanes repeatedly bombed the area overnight. Israeli commandos attacked near the southern city of Tyre early Saturday but were repelled by Hezbollah guerrillas who killed an Israeli member of the force and wounded others, the group said in a statement. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060805/481/6e91ad31bb4847c0906a1cfb98461570

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/152/woman1yv5.jpg
A Lebanese woman wails after looking at the wreckage of her apartment, in a building, that was demolished by the Israeli attacks in southern Beirut July 22, 2006. REUTERS/Issam Kobeisi

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060722/ids_photos_india_wl/ra409986087.jpg

Comparison:
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/3978/woman3el0.jpg
Note the same clothes, same scar on left cheek and same mark under right eye. Now note the background. Different colour of the dirt, different composition of the rubble, it can't be the same house.

[Secret Squirrel]

But, BUT I know the TRUTH!
Are you trying to silence me? This is conspiracy!
;)

Of course we're trying to silence you before you reveal that there actually isnt a war going on and no innocents have died. You've also revealed knowledge of our top secret floating man (either that or you need to adjust the resolution of your monitor).;)

[Asheren]

both building in background looks similiar. It might be same building seen from diffrent angle or another similiar block nothing unusual amongst apartment complexes. Both photos could be made in same time but someone put false description and date or this are photos of same women made later and someone put illogical description.

[Mailman]

Maybe so BUT those photos were supposedly taken on different days!

Mailman

[Mailman]

but wait a second ? ... we've always been told that jews control the international media !

Damn zionist pigs! ;)

Mailman

[Jeremiah]

Reuters has removed all the photographs by Adnan Hajj from their news wires: Reuters withdraws all photos by Lebanese freelance. Notice he’s now a “freelance.” And notice they go out of their way not to mention Little Green Footballs.

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Reuters withdrew all 920 photographs by a freelance Lebanese photographer from its database on Monday after an urgent review of his work showed he had altered two images from the conflict between Israel and the armed group Hizbollah.

Global Picture Editor Tom Szlukovenyi called the measure precautionary but said the fact that two of the images by photographer Adnan Hajj had been manipulated undermined trust in his entire body of work.

“There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image,” Szlukovenyi said in a statement.

“Reuters has zero tolerance for any doctoring of pictures and constantly reminds its photographers, both staff and freelance, of this strict and unalterable policy.”

The news and information agency announced the decision in an advisory note to its photo service subscribers. The note also said Reuters had tightened editing procedures for photographs from the conflict and apologised for the case.

Removing the images from the Reuters database excludes them from future sale.

Reuters ended its relationship with Hajj on Sunday after it found that a photograph he had taken of the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on suburban Beirut had been manipulated using Photoshop software to show more and darker smoke rising from buildings.

An immediate enquiry began into Hajj’s other work.

It established on Monday that a photograph of an Israeli F-16 fighter over Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon and dated Aug 2, had also been doctored to increase the number of flares dropped by the plane from one to three.

“Manipulating photographs in this way is entirely unacceptable and contrary to all the principles consistently held by Reuters throughout its long and distinguished history. It undermines not only our reputation but also the good name of all our photographers,” Szlukovenyi said.

“This doesn’t mean that every one of his 920 photographs in our database was altered. We know that not to be the case from the majority of images we have looked at so far but we need to act swiftly and in a precautionary manner.”

The two altered photographs were among 43 that Hajj filed directly to the Reuters Global Pictures Desk since the start of the conflict on July 12 rather than through an editor in Beirut, as was the case with the great majority of his images.

Filing drills have been tightened in Lebanon and only senior staff will now edit pictures from the Middle East on the Global Pictures Desk, with the final check undertaken by the Editor-in-Charge, Reuters said.

Hajj worked for Reuters as a non-staff contributing photographer from 1993 until 2003 and again since April 2005. Most of his work was in sports photography, much of it outside Lebanon.

Hajj was not in Beirut on Monday and was not responding to calls. He told Reuters on Sunday that the image of the Israeli air strike on Beirut had dust marks which he had wanted to remove.

Questions about the accuracy of the photograph arose after it appeared on news Web sites on Saturday.

Several blogs, including a number which accuse the media of distorted coverage of the Middle East conflict, said the photograph had been doctored.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21976_Reuters_on_the_Run&only

[Abu_Elvis]

Maybe so BUT those photos were supposedly taken on different days!

Mailman
Nearly 2 weeks difference... Let's bet... Will we see another one in next 10 days?

[Jan]

http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1183/mazingercl3.jpg

[Kilgor]

Someone needs to do PS of that fat girl doing the kick.


http://img213.exs.cx/img213/8319/manatee2copy2ju.jpg

[Avary]

http://www.thedissidentfrogman.com/dacha/001594.html

[Zoomie]

Reuters admits to more image manipulation
http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/857990/LBN12_wa.jpg
Reuters has recalled all photos by Adnan Hajj

Oh but it's not a doctored photo!
Check out what Adnan Hajj had to say about this pic:
Mr Hajj, a freelance photographer working for Reuters, denied altering the second photograph, an image of an Israeli F-16 fighter over Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon. "There's no problem with it, not at all," he said in a BBC interview.

[toki]

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/pictures/20060805BeirutPhotoshop03.gif

Ahm, no need to go into detail and compare the 2 buildings, the whole dustcloud has the most ridiculous stamp marks ever. :cantbeli:

[timetraveller]

First rule of internet use ...

People will post/ say anything to gain a reaction ...

And im sure many will know that as will freelance /amature Togs touchin up of pics is a common thing nowadays , yet to publish pics and claim somethin that aint the truth is another imo , for example here is a pic thats been alterd ..




http://img313.imageshack.us/img313/6620/dd968ship2bhh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Beaufort]

AP Beirut photo faces questions

Woman appears 'mourning destruction of her home' in two photographs allegedly taken two weeks apart in different locations; foreign media remains largely hostile to Israel

Yaakov Lappin

A woman has made two appearances in photographs used by the Associated Press and Reuters, allegedly wailing over the destruction of her Beirut home. US bloggers have however noticed that photographs were taken two weeks apart from each other, according to times stamps on the images, and that the photographs were taken in different locations.

"Either this woman is the unluckiest multiple home owner in Beirut, or something isn't quite right," noted the author of the Drinking From Home (http://drinkingfromhome.blogspot.com/2006/08/extreme-makeover-beirut-edition.html) blog.

In the first photograph (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060722/ids_photos_india_wl/ra409986087.jpg) , taken by Reuters, a woman is seen in front of a bombed out building in Beirut. "A Lebanese woman wails after looking at the wreckage of her apartment, in a building, that was demolished by the Israeli attacks in southern Beirut," Reuters said in its caption. The photo was dated July 22 2006.

A second photograph of a woman who looks exactly like the woman in the first Reuters image, even bearing the same scar on her right cheek, is then supplied by the Associated Press.

http://www.ynetnews.com/PicServer2/20122005/858834/BEI101_wa.jpg
Photo: AP

"A Lebanese woman reacts at the destruction after she came to inspect her house in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon," the Associated Press caption claimed. The date accompanying the photograph is August 5 2006, and the scenes behind the woman are different to those of the July 22 photo.


After receiving "some emails" about the photos, the BBC removed (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/index.html) the Associated Press image from its own website.

The Associated Press has so far not responded to requests by Ynetnews for an explanation of the mysterious time gap.

Meanwhile, sections of the foreign media are continuing to display uneven coverage of Israeli and Lebanese casualties of war and scenes of destruction.

A BBC photo display (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5255758.stm) entitled "In pictures: Conflict impact," made up of eight images, uses six out of eight pictures to illustrate damages in Lebanon, but pays scant attention to the human toll and large-scale damage sustained in northern Israel.

The photographs show images of Lebanese civilians and bombed out buildings and Beirut, and carry captions such as: "A woman in Beirut cries amid the destruction."

After the BBC says fighting is hampering aid deliveries in southern Lebanon, an image of an Israeli soldier praying is shown, covering his ears while an IDF canon goes off in the background. "But ground clashes in the area continue unabated," the BBC wrote, suggesting through the image that the Israel bore most of the responsible for clashes. There are no photographs of Hizbullah rockets, or Hizbullah members firing rockets at Israel in the series.
(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3288355,00.html)
Only the seventh photograph in the succession shows an image of an Israeli woman mourning at a funeral, with the caption "Israelis are also counting their losses."

The last picture in the series is of an Israeli in an air raid shelter, but the person in the photo is made black by shadows, and appears to be a silhouette of a human figure. The person's age, sex, or any human features are impossible to make out – an odd choice by the BBC considering the large number of available photographs of Israeli children and families in bomb shelters.

The BBC's website photo editor, Phil Commes, has also taken a neutral line on the faked photographs from Beirut supplied by Reuters (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3287774,00.html) , saying: "One man's color balancing is another man's grounds for dismissal."


Washington Post journalist: Israel wants rocket attacks on itself

Meanwhile, Washington Post journalist Thomas Ricks told CNN (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0608/06/rs.01.html) that Israel was deliberately allowing Hizbullah to fire rockets at its civilians.

"One of the things that is going on, according to some military analysts, is that Israel purposely has left pockets of Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon, because as long as they're being rocketed, they can continue to have a sort of moral equivalency in their operations in Lebanon," Ricks said.

Ricks added that "that's what military analysts have told me."

In addition, a caption provided by the AFP under a photo of rockets in Lebanon read: "Rockets fired from Israel are seen falling in the outskirts of the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre."

However, the USS Neverdock blog (http://ussneverdock.blogspot.com/2006/08/lebanon-photogate-afp-joins-in.html) has spotted a contradiction, with Reuters writing under a photograph which appears to be identical: "Hizbullah missiles streak the sky as they are launched towards Israel from south Lebanon."

After analyzing the contradiction, the blog says: "Notice also the credit for the two pictures goes to two different photographers but they look like the exact same photo to me. One just has the buildings in the foreground cropped out. Was that done to disguise the fact that they are the same photo?"

Several blogs have been busy finding many more clues to forged and staged photographs, many of them taken by disgraced photographer Adnan Hajj. In particular, reports and images claiming that the IDF struck an ambulance are being challenged as false (http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2006/08/two_new_media_b.html) .

And in yet another suspicious case (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/#184229) , two Reuters photographs of a Lebanese man holding a picture of Hassan Nasrallah has been challenged by the Jawa Report blog.

The same man is seen holding Nasrallah's picture and saluting with glee, but the background for each photo of the man is dramatically different. While in one image a clear, blue sky can be seen, a second image of the man flashing a victory sign shows a dusty background, suggesting a bomb had recently been dropped in the area. Two buildings also mysteriously disappear the second photo, although both photographs seem to have been taken from the same location.

"Does this represent a dramatic change in the local architecture and air quality between the two shots, or was this yet another Lebanese stringer Photoshop project?" asks the blog's author, before concluding: "Only the photographer knows for sure."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3288406,00.html

[Kaapeli]

Maybe western media should consider sending their own reporters down there to ensure quality and truthfulness instead of using local freelancers who don't know the meaning of those words.

[Beaufort]

New York Times 'used fraudulent photo'

Man seen 'dead' in Beirut photo essay appears in other photos from same scene up and walking around, blog blasts 'unbelievable fraud'.' NY Times issues 'correction,' says man was injured

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3288887,00.html

[XShipRider]

All this make believe going on makes me wonder just how many other
serious issues were "photoshopped" years ago.