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.
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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
False Caption
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The first fake photo ever created: Hippolyte Bayard pretending to be a suicide victim. ...»
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The Martyr Lincoln (late 1860s)
One of many fake death photos of President Lincoln. ...» |
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The Silent City (ca. 1889)
An Alaskan prospector claimed this was a photo of a "silent city" mirage visible from Muir Glacier. It was actually a blurry photo of Bristol, England. ...» |
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The Sympsychograph (September 1896)
Supposedly a psychic projection of "a cat in its real essence." Intended as a joke, but taken seriously by many. ...» |
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Ocean Execution (December 1913)
A vacation snapshot was creatively recaptioned to become evidence of a brutal execution scene. ...» |
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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. ...» |
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The Nest of a Fatu-Liva (1921)
An image of square eggs satirically proves that the camera never lies. ...» |
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Baby Adolf (Late 1933)
This fake baby photo of Adolf Hitler circulated widely during the mid-1930s. ...» |
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The Nazi Air Marker Hoax (August 10, 1942)
Pictures of unusual shapes in farmers' fields led to fears that the Nazis were planning an air attack on the United States. ...» |
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The Master Race (May 8, 1943)
The British Army created this picture of an unkempt German soldier as part of its propaganda efforts. ...» |
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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. ...» |
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Thoughtography (Gained notoriety in 1967)
Ted Serios claimed he could transfer his thoughts directly onto film. Skeptics disagreed. ...» |
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The Tip of the Iceberg (Created in 1999. Circulating online since 2001.)
This widely circulated photo is actually a digital composite of four different images. ...» |
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Chicken McNoggin (Circulating online since late 2000)
This news photo shows a fried chicken head that really was found in a box of McDonald's Mighty Wings. ...» |
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Shuttle Columbia Explosion Photos (Circulating online since 2003)
Supposedly taken "from an Israeli satellite in space," these images were actually stills from the movie Armageddon. ...» |
All text Copyright © 2011 by Alex Boese, except where otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.