April 02, 2003

Photoshopped Reality

The LA Times has admitted that Brian Walski, one of its photographers altered an image that appeared on the front page of its Monday edition. Makes one wonder, just how often does this kind of thing happen and we don't hear about it?

The LA Times seems to be wiping out his photos from all over its site. Compare a recent Google cache of a LATimes "War With Iraq" Photo Gallery series with the one that is live on the site right now. No more Brian Walski work to be found.

Walski was named Photographer of the Year in 2001 by the California Press Photographers Association -- click here to see a gallery of his work. They're great photos. But are they real? One of his 2001 CPPA awards was for a Spot News photo depicting a soldier looking up to a circle of jet contrails in a blue sky. Actual spot news or Photoshop? Click on the thumbnail image and decide for yourself. Another image (click on the thumbnail for a blow-up) shows a soldier looking off to bombs going off on a mountainside. Also an award-winning shot. I'd love to know if it's real though.

The New York Post has a short article today about this controversy.

UPDATE 3 Apr 2003 -- 1036pst
Poynter Online has more detailed story about Walski's termination at LA Times. Posted by brian at April 2, 2003 09:08 AM

Comments

Well if he's this damn good at photoshop (jet trails) he DESERVES an award! I've been doing this for 9 years and would not know where to start otherwise than with 3d modelling software and particles, but to paint this... wow.

Posted by: Andrew at April 22, 2003 04:49 PM

Not the jet trails, the positioning of the guy right smack dab in the centre of the jet trails...

Posted by: brian at April 22, 2003 10:47 PM

Read More in the Archives:
November 2004 | October 2004 | September 2004 | August 2004 | July 2004 | June 2004 | May 2004 | April 2004 | March 2004 | February 2004 | January 2004 | December 2003 | November 2003 | October 2003 | September 2003 | August 2003 | July 2003 | June 2003 | May 2003 | April 2003 | March 2003 | February 2003 | January 2003 | December 2002 | November 2002 | October 2002 | September 2002 | August 2002 | July 2002 | June 2002 | May 2002 | April 2002 | March 2002 | February 2002 |

brianstorms is Brian Dear's weblog. Non-spam email:

Be sure to take a look at these other fine websites:

Copyright 2002-2003 Birdrock Ventures. brianstorms is a trademark of Birdrock Ventures.