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: Military
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The Fake General Dunwoody
Altered background and face
November 2008



Kim Jong-Il’s Shadow
Undetermined
November 2008



U.S. Army Releases Doctored Photographs
Fake (composite)
September 2008



The Missile Launcher Vanishes
Fake (cloned-in details)
July 9, 2008



Cruise vs. von Stauffenberg
Real
Controversy from June 2008



Charlton Heston’s Home Gun Collection
Real pictures, false caption
Circulating online since Apr 2008



Suicidal Teens Welcome
Fake (composite)
Found on the internet, early 2007



Fake Smoke Over Beirut
Fake (cloned-in details)
August 5, 2006



Islamic Hostage Action-Figure Hoax
Fake (staged with a doll)
February 1, 2005



Whatever It Takes
Fake (cloned-in details)
October 2004



Camel Spiders in Iraq
Real picture, false caption
Found online, Spring 2004



Trophy Turkey
Real but arguably misleading (captions omitted relevant details)
Thanksgiving 2003



British Soldier in Basra
Fake (composite)
Created March 29, 2003.



Helicopter Shark
Fake (composite)
Circulating online since Aug 2001



A Sonic Boom
Real
Taken in 1999. Found online in 2001.


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