Real or Fake? Expert opinion required.

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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:06 pm

Was waiting for someone to do that! Thumbs up

Connie!

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:32 pm

It's real. I believe the black line on top of the sign is caused by over-enthusiastic use of a 'sharpening' filter on the JPG. There's already a similar line on the top of his sleeve too (pic 1). And if you sharpen the JPG even further yourself, more of these black lines will appear (pic 2).

In short, crappy post-production by your lad (or his photographer).

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:38 pm

So what about the blurry left (his right one) ear? Sorry, I'm not convinced.

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:45 pm

Here's a good point, I think. If there were reflector "arrays" used in the production, the lighting would be less shadowy as the goal of such umbrella like things is to even the lighting and reduce shadow. The flash appears to be coming from directly where he is facing as the light is concentrated at the center of his face. Other shadows could indicate the false nature of the picture or in retrospect poor timing and/or positioning of flash reflectors. What say the photographers to that observance?

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:47 pm

Just out of curiosity, and for no specific reason, how many of "team fake" believe there is a military cover up of aliens at Area51, faked moon landings, etc?

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:54 pm

I understand you're not interested. Fair deal. There's always some members that will. Why do you keep posting here, I don't understand if you don't care. We're willing to learn to distinguish fake from real pics, and how to spot it. And please take your sarcasm elsewhere.

Edited.

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:02 am

MBL!!! That's it that explains the body angles!! He's an alien! Of course! Laughing

btw, Area 51 can neither be confirmed or denied. Pay no attention to the men in dark sunglasses who may or may not be watching... Cool

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:12 am

Dutch wrote:

So what about the blurry left (his right one) ear?

Nothing special. The focus of the camera is on his face. Shot with a large aperture stop (small f number) the depth of field is very limited and objects further away from the focus point will become blurred. Or rather, out of focus.

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:21 am

Dutch wrote:

I understand you're not interested. Fair deal. There's always some members that will. Why do you keep posting here,

\

because even if i don't necessarily agree with some of the other posters on the various topics. i almost invariably find them funny. and funny transcends all.

cheers

grimbleton

ps -- (transcends all except entropy)

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:21 am

^ That's what I said in one of my previous posts: how come his ear is blurred (out of focus) and the background isn't? (in fact it's the whole side of his head that's blurred)

anyway, it's way past bedtime over here, more tomorrow, I guess.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 07 Jul 2010 Posts: 15

The blurring around the ear edge is the shadow of his ear. Like his left (as you look at the pic) side, the quality of the image is terrible and the distinction between him and his shadow in some places is lost.

Try it for yourself, take several samples with the eye dropper from the clearly visible shadows that are cast on to the curtain by the paper and his head and compare them to his clothing down the left edge, It's a fairly close match but should probably still be noticable, that is until you cover the image in jpg artifacts and the distinction between his body and the shadow is lost and it just looks like a blurry edge.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 06 Feb 2005 Posts: 80

Folks,

when I posted the question about real or fake, I did not think that it would get so many replies! Many thanks for all your learned inputs. I have learnt a lot about analysis of photos from your expert comments. Idea

The bait continues. Very Happy

Meanwhile, are you aware ( or has anybody looked up in a dictionary) what he is waiting for? I'm sure has has some already! Twisted Evil

Cheers.

Ken (aka "Vil3 Sm3gma")

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:19 am

Mavro wrote:

It's real. I believe the black line on top of the sign is caused by over-enthusiastic use of a 'sharpening' filter on the JPG. There's already a similar line on the top of his sleeve too (pic 1). And if you sharpen the JPG even further yourself, more of these black lines will appear (pic 2).

In short, crappy post-production by your lad (or his photographer).

'Post production' = photoshopping.

It's hard to believe a lad will have to adjust a picture with a sharpening tool , taken in a studio with optimal circumstances.

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:43 am

Dutch wrote:

taken in a studio with optimal circumstances.

Optimal? If this is the best that particular studio can do it's a waste of money.

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:14 pm

^^ Exactly. The white curtain background kind of suggests it was taken in a studio. Normally (even an amateur) photographer would take a series of shots, and pick the best one, rather than applying filters afterwards.

Oh well: at least we agree on one thing: he's been tampering with the jpg with a photo editor.

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:36 pm

Dutch wrote:

^^ Exactly. The white curtain background kind of suggests it was taken in a studio. Normally (even an amateur) photographer would take a series of shots, and pick the best one, rather than applying filters afterwards.

Oh well: at least we agree on one thing: he's been tampering with the jpg with a photo editor.

Tell him you want an original picture, not a tarted up one ! Very Happy

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:00 pm

What like this one

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:43 pm

Mod edit: no need to do a full requote, including the picture. We can see it right there ^^^^ - JF

Perfectly acceptable !!!! Go for it !!! Very Happy

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 5:50 pm

@wowwow: It's (a well done) chop. I just happen to know, cause I took the original pic myself:

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:17 pm

Ironically enough, Dutch, the man has a goatee!! Sorry, just had to point it out. Wink

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:08 pm

^ That explains my immediate sympathy for the guy. Wink

Master Baiter Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Posts: 207 Location: UK

manbiteslion wrote:

Just out of curiosity, and for no specific reason, how many of "team fake" believe there is a military cover up of aliens at Area51, faked moon landings, etc?

Dutch wrote:

I understand you're not interested. Fair deal. There's always some members that will. Why do you keep posting here, I don't understand if you don't care. We're willing to learn to distinguish fake from real pics, and how to spot it. And please take your sarcasm elsewhere.

I think the point mbl is making is that team fake are trying to find conspiracy when there probably isnt any. Its interesting to analyse the photo, but its also interesting analyse peoples responses when posed with a normal picture and asked to find flaws.

Ask yourself:
If he was photoshopping the sign, why would he mess with the ear?
Why would he 'shop one photo badly and the other quite well?
Why would he bother when setting up the photoshop for this picture would probably take more time and effort than taking the picture himself.

You say "We're willing to learn to distinguish fake from real pics, and how to spot it." but maybe the most important thing to learn is how to use common sense and accept when a picture is just a picture. Especially when you take lad laziness into consideration.

Cool

It could be fake... but I think the conspiracy theorist analogy work well here.

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 3:09 pm

^ This has got nothing to do with conspiracy theories, let alone aliens and lunar landings. It's about analyzing a posted photo, purely from a technical perspective. Nothing more, nothing less. Still: I'll try to answer your questions.

OfffffTopic wrote:

If he was photoshopping the sign, why would he mess with the ear?

It's not only the ear, but that whole side of his head and body. It could be from applying a blurring tool after joining two layers.

Quote:

Why would he 'shop one photo badly and the other quite well?

As a bait progresses lads will walk the extra mile to convince an alleged victim.

Quote:

Why would he bother when setting up the photoshop for this picture .

He didn't have to set up Photoshop for this. He has sent a shopped pic before, remember?

Quote:

would probably take more time and effort than taking the picture himself

- Because he doesn't want his real pic spread over the interwebs, and wants to stay anonymous, for obvious reasons?
- Because a real photo would reveal the lad is not who he claims to be? His age, for instance?

Quote:

but maybe the most important thing to learn is how to use common sense and accept when a picture is just a picture.

If you stay around long enough you might learn something about lad logic, as sometimes there doesn't seem to be any.

Quote:

Especially when you take lad laziness into consideration.

Most lads are lazy, others will travel the half of Africa, build pyramids, get themselves tattooed, when they smell money.

If you're still not convinced some lads actually do Photoshop, I suggest you take a look in The Hall of Shame.

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