Flashback: USA Today gives Condi 'demon eyes,' pulls photo

WorldNetDaily ^ | 10/26/2005

[sionnsar]

USA Today gives Condi
'demon eyes,' pulls photo

Paper admits it gave secretary of state

'unnatural appearance' in Web edition

---

Posted: October 26, 2005
5:10 p.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Manipulated Associated Press photo of Condoleezza Rice published online by USA Today

USA Today pulled a photograph of Condoleezza Rice from its website after a weblog revealed it was manipulated, giving the secretary of state a menacing, demon-eyesing stare.

Original AP photo

The remarkable changes were first noted by a weblog called The Pen, which cited an original version of the Associated Press photograph.

After a host of weblogs highlighted the photo, the nationwide newspaper removed it with this explanation:

Editor's note: The photo of Condoleezza Rice that originally accompanied this story was altered in a manner that did not meet USA TODAY's editorial standards. The photo has been replaced by a properly adjusted copy. Photos published online are routinely cropped for size and adjusted for brightness and sharpness to optimize their appearance. In this case, after sharpening the photo for clarity, the editor brightened a portion of Rice's face, giving her eyes an unnatural appearance. This resulted in a distortion of the original not in keeping with our editorial standards.

But prior to the announcement, a number of experienced graphic artists wrote to weblogs, insisting the distortion was no mistake.

"That photo of Condi was deliberately manipulated," said a reader of Michelle Malkin's site who has used Photoshop for 10 years.

Another Photoshop user had suggested the photo might have been prepared for print publishing, which sometimes requires that images be sharpened to accommodate a fuzzy format.

The reader believed USA Today used a filter from the program Photoshop called Unsharp Mask, which brings out detail in soft photos.

But the 10-year Photoshop user said he put the photo through the Unsharp Mask filter in Photoshop 5.5 and "could not duplicate what was done."

The reader argued any filter in Photoshop would apply to the whole image, concluding "the image was deliberately manipulated around the eyes."

Also, he said, "Notice how the pupils have been narrowed, like a cat's eyes. Sharpening would not alter the roundness of her pupils, only accentuate them. Another paint or erase tool is required to achieve that effect."

[alecqss]

They took Goebbels maxim about telling a lie long enough too close to heart. It works only if there is no one to expose it and since lately that's not the case.

But they like robots just keep piling up being sure that it's only a matter of "long enough".

[Cyber Liberty]

Ping! This was the one I was telling you about....

[observer5]

"In this case, after sharpening the photo for clarity, the editor brightened a portion of Rice's face, giving her eyes an unnatural appearance"

Lies lies lies lies.....

This has nothing to do with brightening the face. The eyes were directly made like this.

I use Photoshop professionally for over 1o years.

[gridlock]

Jaffa CREE!

[Fury]

Wow, USA Today is still publishing? Haven't picked up that papers in probably 10 years. They always had a pretty good sports section...

[FourPeas]

In this case, after sharpening the photo for clarity, the editor brightened a portion of Rice's face, giving her eyes an unnatural appearance. This resulted in a distortion of the original not in keeping with our editorial standards.

uh, ya......right.

[absalom01]

Indeed.

This is much bigger than just a couple of inept photoshop attempts.

[Sisku Hanne]

It's not just "chopped" pics, it's choosing photos that create certain subconscious psychological impressions. Like choosing unflattering photos of W where he is making an "o" sound, so his lips look like a monkey, or the way he quizzically lifts his eyebrows when he's listening to a question, which makes him look confused. Or that recent photo of Cheney where they got some crazy angle on the podium to make him look menacing. And like they always chose smiley or "thoughtful" pensive pics of the Toon.

Or even more subtle, like showing Republicans scowling and Dems smiling, flipping images so the gesture and movement is up and to the right (positive directions) for Dems, but down and to the left for Reps. Making a Dem larger than the Rep.

I work in Photoshop for my job, and habitually pay attention to images in news articles. It's absolutely astonishing what the news does. They "work it" just as much, if not more, than the advertising world does.

[Desron13]

"Photos published online are routinely cropped for size and adjusted for brightness and sharpness to optimize their appearance. In this case, after sharpening the photo for clarity, the editor brightened a portion of Rice's face, giving her eyes an unnatural appearance. This resulted in a distortion of the original not in keeping with our editorial standards."

And if you buy this one, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. What an incredible line of bovine excrement!

[mirkwood]

[Niteranger68]

Hate Crime Bump

[Moose4]

The only time I ever see a USA Today is when staying at a hotel that provides it free in the mornings. And even then, usually my wife's the one that reads it, not me.

}:-)4

[rod1]

The MSM is practicing for the next national election season photos.

[rod1]

Did USA Today ever idenity said EDITOR. I would like to know which editor actually did it and whether he/she is still working there (or even got promoted).

[rod1]

Did USA Today ever identify the said EDITOR. I would like to know which editor actually did it and whether he/she is still working there (or even got promoted).