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
Category: Paranormal
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Mumler’s Spirit Photos (1861-1879)
William Mumler created the genre of the spirit photo: ghostly images supposedly caught on film. ...» |
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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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The Cottingley Fairies (1917-1920)
Two young girls used paper cutouts to create a series of images of "fairies." These images are among the most famous fake photos of all time. ...» |
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Ada Emma Deane’s Armistice Day Series (November 1924)
Spiritualists claimed this image showed the spirits of dead war heroes. A newspaper identified the faces as living football players. ...» |
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The Surgeon’s Photo (Reportedly taken on April 19, 1934.)
This is considered to be the most famous image of the Loch Ness Monster. It actually shows a fake serpent's head attached to a toy submarine. ...» |
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The Brown Lady of Raynham (September 19, 1936)
One of the most famous ghost photos ever; it is also almost certainly nothing more than a double exposure. ...» |
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Venusian Scoutcraft (December 13, 1952)
What George Adamski claimed was a photo of a UFO looks suspiciously like a lampshade with ping pong balls glued to it. ...» |
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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 Bluff Creek Bigfoot (October 20, 1967)
Bigfoot believers claim this is a photo of that elusive North American primate. Skeptics argue it shows a person in an ape suit. ...» |
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Giant Human Skeleton (Circulating online since early 2004)
Despite what this photo appears to show, archaeologists did not unearth a giant human skeleton in Saudi Arabia. ...» |
All text Copyright © 2011 by Alex Boese, except where otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.