Techniques of
Photo Fakery
Photo Fakery
1: Inserting details. This includes placing an element from one photo into another to create a composite image, reproducing a detail of the photo by cloning it, superimposing an image onto another, or drawing-in details.
2: Deleting details. This is usually done by extending background elements over the unwanted detail. Or one can crop out the unwanted detail.
3: Manipulating elements within the photo. For instance, adjusting the color, resizing details, or rotating or moving details.
4: falsifying the caption.
5: Staging the scene. This is considered fakery particularly in photojournalism. Varieties of staging a scene include using models and cutouts and inserting a prop into the scene.
6: Trick angles. The most common example of this is the use of forced perspective.
2: Deleting details. This is usually done by extending background elements over the unwanted detail. Or one can crop out the unwanted detail.
3: Manipulating elements within the photo. For instance, adjusting the color, resizing details, or rotating or moving details.
4: falsifying the caption.
5: Staging the scene. This is considered fakery particularly in photojournalism. Varieties of staging a scene include using models and cutouts and inserting a prop into the scene.
6: Trick angles. The most common example of this is the use of forced perspective.
Site Map
Photo Archive Categories
The Hoax Photo Archive
A gallery of photo fakery throughout history.
Years Archived:
1840-1900 | 1900-1919 | 1920-1939 | 1940-1959 | 1960-1979 | 1980-1999 | 2000-2004 | 2005-Present
A gallery of photo fakery throughout history.
Years Archived:
1840-1900 | 1900-1919 | 1920-1939 | 1940-1959 | 1960-1979 | 1980-1999 | 2000-2004 | 2005-Present
Category: Advertising
 |
Stotham, Massachusetts: The Town That Didn’t Exist (Published in April 1920)
A Massachusetts town, described as an example of an unspoiled New England village, turned out not to exist. ...» |
 |
Miss Perfect Profile (ca. 1950)
The head of a modeling agency added creative captions, such as "Miss Perfect Profile," to the photos of his models in order to get newspapers to print them. ...» |
 |
The Vanishing Belly Button, 1964 (February 1964)
When the LA Times published this picture, it airbrushed out the model's belly button in order to "conform to regulations." ...» |
 |
Mid-Island Fish (July 29, 2002.)
This ad was supposed to express support for Long Island, New York businesses, but viewers noticed it showed a Seattle fishmarket. ...» |
 |
The Misleading Steak Premiere (Late 2002)
A government investigation concluded there was a disparity between the amount of toppings shown in this ad, and the amount on the actual sandwich. ...» |
 |
Louis Vuitton Designer SARS Mask (April 2003)
The fashion designer never actually included a SARS mask in any of its collections. ...» |
 |
Whatever It Takes (October 2004)
An ad released by Bush's 2004 presidential campaign showed a crowd scene from which the President had been digitally removed. ...» |
 |
A Whiter Beyonce (August 2008)
Critics accused L'Oreal of lightening Beyonce's skin color in this advertisement for its cosmetics. ...» |
All text Copyright © 2011 by Alex Boese, except where otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.