FAQ 9 - Specific effects

  • 901. Why aren’t black-and-white (monochrome) photographs disqualified by the Trust Test for misrepresenting the appearance of the scene depicted?

    Because “misrepresentation” is judged by the standards of respected international news agencies (as per P7), and black-and-white photographs have been a trusted staple of news photography for more than 100 years.

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  • 902. But if TTG doesn’t disqualify photos that are “fully” desaturated (black-and-white/monochrome), why are “strongly-desaturated but-not-fully desaturated” photographs disqualified by rinairs, the arbiter of P7? And why are “extremely saturated” photos similarly disqualified?

    Because viewers of black-and-white (monochrome) photographs are instantly aware that the photo they are viewing has had its colors changed from what the camera lens saw during the exposure. That is often not the case with partially desaturated and oversaturated photos.

    P7 of the Trust Test

  • 903. Besides monochrome/black-and-white, are there any other TTG-allowed effects that keep photos from perfectly representing the appearance of the scene?

    Yes, photography is filled with things that keep images from perfectly portraying the real-world scenes they depict.

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  • 904. Can a dreadfully color-balanced photo be made TTG-eligible by converting it to monochrome/black-and-white?

    Yes, that is correct.

  • 905. Why does TTG disqualify photos in which non-optical “bokeh” blur is added to obscure undesirable areas of the photo?

    Four of the reasons are listed here; “bokeh” blur is addressed in questions 12xx-12yy.

  • 906. Why does TTG disqualify the resulting images when photographers reshape things in photographs (e.g., for post-exposure “perspective correction”) so that it looks like the camera was pointed somewhere other than where it was?

    Among other reasons, because the result misrepresents where the camera was pointed.

    “TTG is about what the camera lens saw, not what the photographer wishes the camera lens had seen.”

    {"Perspective correction" is addressed in questions 12xx-12xx}

  • 907. I would never “add” something to a photograph in post-exposure processing, but I sometimes “delete” things. Why doesn’t TTG distinguish between the two actions?

    Because except when cropping, it is impossible to delete something from a photograph without adding something in its place.

    When it comes to photo manipulation, “adding” and “deleting” are the same thing.

  • 908. Couldn’t a photographer just doctor a photo any way they want and then take a photograph of the doctored photo — leaving the new photo undoctored so that they can label it TTG?

    No, this is specifically prohibited by the last paragraph of P8.

    For obvious reasons, any photograph in which “a non-TTG-qualified image that looks like a photograph” is “a primary subject” is considered TTG-ineligible and cannot qualify as TTG, no matter how it is explained, presented, or labeled.

  • 909. What about other kinds of trick photos? What about optical illusions?

    They are eligible to qualify as TTG if they meet all 9 requirements, but they will not qualify unless viewers are made aware of the potentially deceptive aspects of the photograph, as per P8.

    Photographers may be tempted to propose various far-fetched and clever photographic scenarios to “game the system.”

    Unfortunately for would-be tricksters, with TTG there are no loopholes to exploit (see #1802).

    P7 is clear: a TTG photograph cannot misrepresent the appearance of the scene, as judged by rinairs.

    And P8 is equally clear: the TTG photographer cannot deceive viewers about the circumstances of the photograph, as judged by rinairs..

 

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