Since blogging Martin Bell’s take on UK fauxtography last week, the issue has popped up in the US too. Two recent examples:
First, we have CBS is being raked over the coals — deservedly so — for digitally altering footage of July 4th fireworks in Boston. The show’s producer, a Boston area businessman insisted to the Boston Globe that there was nothing wrong:
Mugar said the added images were above board because the show was entertainment and not news. He said it was no different than TV drama producer David E. Kelley using scenes from his native Boston in his show “Boston Legal’’ but shooting the bulk of each episode on a studio set in Hollywood.
No comment yet from CBS.
Next up, we have AP dealing with a different situation. The wire service (via Romenesko) has severed all ties with photographer Miguel Tovar, who was working a children’s soccer tournament in Argentina. Tovar copied sand from one part of the picture to cover his own shadow.
Fireworks and football. With compelling enough images already in hand, did the cameramen really need to improve their work? And were the results really worth the blowback?
I don’t think so either.
