My only question is ... why alter the original image? It was fine the way it was. Mirroring it added very little.
Well, National Geographic rationalised it this way, “It created a more dramatic image.”
They cut two images in half back in 2003 or so, and stuck the halves together.
In one original image, a soldier had his weapon slightly up, and was waving someone off.
In the other original image, one man was standing up from the ground.
In the altered image, the soldier was waving the guy off while pointing a weapon at him.
ANY alterations are suspect and immediate corrupt the images viability.
Remember OJ’s lighting fiasco on the cover of NEWSWEEK?
Even cropping can be an issue.
Better to avoid it altogether.