D Work is Acceptable For the Times

It's very frustrating when people take knowledge that you pride yourself in possessing and decide to use it for jackassery. It's even more frustrating when said jackassery gets multinational attention.



The image above is of an Iranian missile test that was distributed by the Associated Press last Wednesday. If you've been watching the news, you probably know that the most interesting thing about this news image from Iran is that it has been digitally altered.


For those unfamiliar with this infuriating news tidbit, the NY Times version of the story can be found by clicking here.

Now, why do I find this story infuriating?

Well, here goes...

Anyone who knows me, knows that Adobe Photoshop (the software likely used to create this image) has been considered as sizable chunk of my bread and butter for many years now. I have worked as an artist, designer, consultant and even college lecturer, utilizing and sharing my expertise of this software for about 10 years now. When I look at this image, a poor example of photo-manipulation I consider high-novice at best, I am honestly insulted. I am insulted because someone is actually trying to fool people in this day and age with such sub-standard vis-com hackery that I know I would look at with a high degree of suspicion ...but I am more so insulted because... amidst all the "experts" in the news media... NOBODY HONESTLY F@#KING SAW THIS?!?


I mean, seriously... “apparently digitally altered” ...come on, look at it people! Not even really mentioned in the New York Times article or the diagram directly above: Look at the sky coloration between the two right missile trails. (More visible in the first image) How could that alone not tempt cautious scrutiny? This photo must have passed by hundreds of eyeballs on it's way to international print and airwaves, and nobody noticed anything or questioned or was smart enough to listen to, or at least humor, anyone who might have questioned?

I don't know, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe given what I do, I've become too cynical or skeptical whenever I see a photograph of any kind. However, veterans of the news media do often claim to pride themselves in reporting accurate information, even citing certain degrees of expertise and responsibility to doing so, and such claims often leave little room for excuses.

Over the years, I'm sure I've sent resumes and job applications to several of the news organizations (or their parent companies) who ran with this Iranian graphical joke ...and from the way I've been periodically shlepping from time to time, it's quite obvious I've never worked for any such media organizations. That being said, I'd just like to say I find it extremely interesting that earlier this week, the The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, NBC and numerous others found it quite acceptable to run with work that I would have likely marked with a D back in my college teaching days... well, not the intro-level students...but just the same:

Bravo, mainstream media! Brah-frikkin-vo.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Embarrassed to admit it, but if I weren't looking for it I wouldn't have noticed. But after you bring up the point, it is very visible.

I also enjoy tinkering around with Photoshop. I say tinkering because I don't get paid for it. :D

I've added you to my Pijoo.
August 5, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Chris O'Connell said…
Thanks Macbros... Like I said, perhaps I've become too cynical about modern photography... but maybe being able to see it so well is part of the difference between a tinkerer and a paranoid pro. ;)
August 5, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Anonymous said…
Kinda really makes you wonder how much other stuff gets slipped by. I'll tell you one thing now, after reading this post, you'll have me looking more closely at images I see being used in the news. Wow! But you know, I would have never in a million years noticed. I guess, because I wasn't looking either.
October 2, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Chris O'Connell said…
Yeah, that's part of the problem, Gary. At a quick glance, almost no one would ever notice ...and unfortunately, 'a quick glance' seems to be about as much responsibility as the "pros" take sometimes.
October 2, 2008 at 6:58 AM
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