Shown above is My Picture That Lies. I chose a picture of the White House and several pictures of different animals to manipulate and conglomerate. I decided to use these pictures because I wanted to use a location or landmark that everyone was familiar with and import common subjects into the shot. I wanted to make a picture that would cause people to look twice and question what was going on that such a strange situation was captured on film. I also thought it would be funny to make a political statement with whatever I created. I took the pictures off of Google and imported them into Photoshop where I began to create a new work of art.
The picture was manipulated by changing the hue and saturation of the background, altering the opacity of the animals, and adding text into the image. Additionally, one of the most notable image alterations is the combination of zoo animals on the front lawn of the White House. The background was altered because the color was too dark, so adjusting the hue and saturation provided for a more rich and vibrant color. The opacity on the animals was adjusted so that it wouldn't look as though the animals were added from another picture. The text was added so that my idea for the picture would be fully conveyed to the audience. The manipulation was not harmful. It doesn't defame anyone or convey false ideas, but simply pokes fun at politics.
I also did a little bit of research about the increasing problem of digitally doctoring photos that are given to the public as the truth. My picture relates to the article because the article explains about how to tell if images have been spliced, and my picture has indeed been spliced and re-combined. If there were ever any doubts about if the picture I created was real or not, someone could run my picture that lies through the software discussed in the research article and conclude the truthfulness of my work. The article discusses new software that allows the problem of digitally altering photos to be addressed and help in it's demise.
A helpful quote from the article is: "Today’s technology allows digital media to be altered and manipulated in ways that were simply impossible 20 years ago. Tomorrow’s technology will almost certainly allow for us to manipulate digital media in ways that today seem unimaginable. And as this technology continues to evolve it will become increasingly important for the science of digital forensics to try to keep pace. Along with sensible policy and law, and an awareness of the issues involved, it is my hope that the statistical tools that my lab is creating will help the media, the courts, and our society contend with this exciting, and at times puzzling, digital age."
The article I researched is:
Farid, Hany. "Digital doctoring: how to tell the real from the fake." Significance 3.4 (2006): 162-166. Academic Search Complete.
EBSCO. Web. 12 Apr. 2010.
I really like your idea, Larissa. I think you chose to manipulate a photograph in a way such that many people can relate to or understand what you are trying to say. Good work, as usual!
ReplyDeleteGreat work you made there, for a humorous purpose as such manipulation is a-ok by me. Interesting idea how Farid thinks these tools will one day help the court, and I'd like to see how that works.
ReplyDeleteSuper job Larissa! Sometimes I feel the exact same way! I like how you put multiple animals in the picture, your effort is apparent and definantely has paid off!
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