Photographs no longer provide proof of anything

Fiendish Astronaut · Jul 11, 2008

This image of four Iranian rockets being tested - and realeased by the iranian government - was swallowed hook line and sinker by the Western Press...

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/30597_Irans_Photoshopped_Missile_Launch

Are we at the point where major news outlets hire photoshop experts to check an image appears genuine?

lostprophet · Jul 11, 2008

having seen that shot on BBC's website yesterday, I don't think you would need a photoshop expert to notice just how bad the editing was. It was obvious to me it was cloned

dEARlEADER · Jul 11, 2008

interesting....

chris · Jul 11, 2008

We never have been able to rely on photographs as evidence of 'the truth' because they have been manipulated almost since photography began. It's undoubtedly easier to do it now that digital techniques can be used rather than air brushing, retopuching with brush and ink, double exposures etc but to get first class results still requires a high degree of skill, which the manipulator of the rocket photo obviously did not have (or did not apply - could this have been deliberate so that the deception would be easily seen?) since this appears to be a crude copy and paste job.

toofpaste · Jul 11, 2008

Cs3 is dangerous.

Rhys · Jul 11, 2008

I don't get why the Iranians were embarassed that 1 missile didn't work. 75% is pretty darned good. Out of every set of miliary stuff - missiles, bombs, grenades, cartridges there will be a certain number of duds. For example, out of a box of 550 .22LR I fired off over a couple of weeks, I had one dud that didn't go off when I fired it. I just dumped it in the trash. It's rare but does happen and I've seen it even with larger rounds. Look at the number of UXBs around the world and you'll realise that it's not uncommon.

Easy_Target · Jul 11, 2008

Photoshop is a tool of the terrorists! We must make it illegal!

</fearmongering rhetoric>

Like Chris said, photographs have been used to manipulate the truth practically from when it was first invented. Now is no different.

Bifurcator · Jul 11, 2008

Fiendish Astronaut said:
This image of four Iranian rockets being tested - and realeased by the iranian government - was swallowed hook line and sinker by the Western Press...

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/30597_Irans_Photoshopped_Missile_Launch

Are we at the point where major news outlets hire photoshop experts to check an image appears genuine?

Only the US government is that low tech! Iranians know how to use Houdini 3D and wouldn't have blundered that badly.

christopher walrath · Jul 12, 2008

Could it be-e-e-e . . . Photoshop?!?

Garbz · Jul 12, 2008

Hhahaha I came into this thread expecting the opposite, a discussion on how do you prove a photo is genuine. No need for further comment here

Actually has anyone ever heard of an implementation of the software shown at the last blackhat conference which analyses if pictures have been edited? It used some method of looking at the data quantisation in the JPEG compression, and could determine not only if a picture was edited, but which program was edited and what was changed.
They used it on an example of some picture of a middle eastern leader speaking and it showed things like the books on the bookshelf being digitally inserted but the bookshelf existing beforehand.

Jedo_03 · Jul 13, 2008

Don't believe ANYTHING you hear...
And only HALF-BELIEVE anything you see...
Cos ANYTHING is possible...
Jedo

passerby · Jul 13, 2008

I went to the iranian military discussion board looking for this particular topic, and there was one. One of the poster replied saying why discussing a photo when the video of the test is available in youtube? It does make sense though. So I went to youtube and search with the phrase Iran missile test, and there are few results.

It seem there were four missile launch at the same time but one seem failed - or late launch. I don't what they are saying but the launch was occured at 1.05. So just let it load and wait 1 1/5 minut, than just jump it to 1 minute starting point.
Anyway, the first link is how the photo was altered (?) and the 2nd is the launch. They look so real to me.

Bifurcator · Jul 13, 2008

And I'm serious about the entire event very likely not even being Iranian, or having anything at all to do with Iran.

And I've made much more realistic looking missile launches and trails in LightWave, Houdini, Maya, and XSI... And I know some Iranian boys who are as good or better than I. So whoever did the edit WANTED it to be known that it was a fake.

Sounds just like Uncle Sam to me. Two levels of deceptive disinformation!

dEARlEADER · Jul 13, 2008

Bifurcator said:
And I'm serious about the entire event very likely not even being Iranian, or having anything at all to do with Iran.

And I've made much more realistic looking missile launches and trails in LightWave, Houdini, Maya, and XSI... And I know some Iranian boys who are as good or better than I. So whoever did the edit WANTED it to be known that it was a fake.

Sounds just like Uncle Sam to me. Two levels of deceptive disinformation!

Who is this Sam you speak of?