An example of a “non-news” context that would benefit from requiring undoctored photos:

In a photo submitted to an architecture-award committee in the mid-2010s, the photographer digitally deleted the depiction of large, unattractive air-conditioning units on the roof of a sleek, curvy, low building.

• The photographer was merely trying to make the building look better.

• The architect didn’t stop the submission of the “improved” images.

• And the judges of the competition could only assess the building based on the submitted photos — they made no site visit — so they were unaware of the deletion until after they had given the building a design award.

Two of the judges later said they would not have bestowed the award had they seen an undoctored photograph of the building.

What’s the solution?

The problem is that it is easier than ever before for architects to submit to design competitions highly realistic, photograph-like renderings instead of visual records of how the finished product looks in the real world.

To prevent “renderings-instead-of-records” — and to avoid misunderstandings like the one described above — design contests can institute the simple requirement that all submitted images must be actual photographs that fully meet the Trust Test.