More on FAQ #1205

Summary: TTG disqualifies photos made with phones' self-facing camera because millions of smartphones instantly doctor photos taken with that camera.

  • 1. Why does P2 of the Trust Test disqualify photos using a smartphone's self-facing camera?

    Because in order to make the photographer look better, millions of smartphone cameras are programmed to instantly doctor photos taken with the self-facing camera.

    It is impossible to correct those doctored images enough for them to qualify as TTG, so it is impossible to make a TTG-qualified photo using those self-facing cameras.

    Smartphone manufacturers do not “bake in” doctored photographs with the away-facing camera

  • 2. What that means for TTG

    • Photographers should use the away-facing camera on their devices when making photos intended to be labeled “TTG”

    • Viewers are encouraged to disregard (see #10) the TTG label on photographs that appear to have been taken with a smartphone’s self-facing camera

  • 3. The only issue with selfies qualifying as TTG is the self-facing camera, not the subject or the “posed” nature of the photo

    Contrary to some people’s expectations, TTG’s problem with selfies isn’t the subject, nor is the problem the “posed” nature of such photographs.

    Posed photographs of people are reliably eligible for the TTG label when the photos meet all of 9 requirements of the Trust Test and are made with smartphones’ away-facing camera.

    Photos made using a smartphone’s “Portrait” mode are disqualified from TTG unless any added bokeh-blur, lighting effects, and other filters are removed that misrepresent “what the camera lens saw” (as per P7).

  • 4. Why doesn't TTG only disqualify photos from smartphones that are programmed to doctor self-facing camera photos?

    Because TTG is designed to be compatible with every non-specialized camera and smartphone in the world.

    In other words, barring any mainstream smartphones and cameras from TTG is a non-starter.

    Furthermore, there is/are no definitive data about which smartphones have the doctored-selfie feature.

    The feature has apparently been spread over multiple models and brands of smartphones over multiple years.

    Since instant beautifying-filter apps can be installed on all kinds of smartphones, it would be a false reassurance to declare that any popular smartphones are immune to the “instantly-doctored-selfie” capability.

    If and when smartphone makers add a VUO capability to self-facing cameras, presumably CUOs of the resulting images could qualify as TTG.