Techniques of Fakery
There are six basic techniques of faking a photo, none of which are mutually exclusive.

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, one can adjust the color, resize details, or rotate or move details.

4: falsifying the caption. (In a sense, every fake photo has been falsely captioned.)

5: Staging the scene. This is considered fakery particularly when it occurs in photojournalism. Varieties of staging a scene include using models and cutouts and inserting a prop into the scene.

6: Taking a photo at a trick angle. The most common example of this is the use of forced perspective.


Themes


Time Periods
hoax photo database

Category: Head Transplants
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U.S. Army Releases Doctored Photographs
Fake (composite)
September 2008



Palin in Bikini and Miniskirt
Fake (composite)
September 2008



Vote for Dean Hrbacek
Fake (composite)
January 2008



Martha’s Last Laugh
Fake (composite)
March 2005



The Real Julia
Fake (composite)
July 2003



Cut-and-Paste Diversity
Fake (composite)
September 2000



Tootsie Redressed
Fake (composite)
Mar 1997 issue of Los Angeles magazine



White Hot Mama
Fake (composite)
July 1992



Oprah’s Head Transplant
Fake (composite)
August 26, 1989



Lincoln’s Portrait
Fake (composite)
Late 1860s



Petticoat Politics
Fake (composite)
May 1865


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