In an Iranian Image, a Missile Too Many (launch photo is partially fake)

[Newsjock]

Source: New York Times

As news spread across the world of Iran’s provocative missile tests, so did an image of four missiles heading skyward in unison. Unfortunately, it appeared to contain one too many missiles, a fact that had not emerged before the photo appeared on the front pages of The Los Angeles Times, The Financial Times, The Chicago Tribune and several other newspapers as well as on BBC News, MSNBC, Yahoo! News, NYTimes.com and many other major news Web sites.

... the second missile from the right appears to be the sum of two other missiles in the image. The contours of the billowing smoke match perfectly near the ground, as well in the immediate wake of the missile. Only a small black dot in the reddish area of exhaust seems to differ from the missile to its left, though there are also some slight variations in the color of the smoke and the sky.

... Agence France-Presse retracted its four-missile version this morning, saying that the image of four missiles was “apparently digitally altered” by Iranian state media. The fourth missile “has apparently been added in digital retouch to cover a grounded missile that may have failed during the test,” the agency said.

Read more: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/in-an-iranian-image-a-missile-too-many/

[ryanmuegge]

1. Fake. Just like this whole outrage about Iran being a threat.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

43. are other countries falling in with this fakery?

[Fearless]

2. So that's where the 400M is going... to falsify information...

How very Rovish.

[Psephos]

49. Missile Gap: Iran itself 'shopped that photo to cover a failed launch

They inserted an image of a working missile to cover the gap created by the one that didn't launch.

I've seen considerably better 'shopping on Fark.com lol

[Joanne98]

3. Everything's fake these days!!!!

[Canuckistanian]

4. The Iranian media themselves did the alteration

The "four-missile" version first put out:


The later "three-missile" version, from the same Iranian website:

[thewiseguy]

5. That top picture is clearly altered

You can see the immediate area around the second missile from the right do not match the colors of their surroundings.

I am not sure where this picture came from. Iranian media tags their pictures.

[AllexxisF1]

7. OK....

Where did the truck go in the so called altered picture.

Because in the real picture there is another Missile truck poised to shoot another missile and its gone in the second pic but there is the 4th launch.


Moreover those two pictures are not the same pictures (just look at the angle of the fence).

[SteelPenguin]

8. the truck was photoshopped out

fairly easy thing to do.

[thewiseguy]

11. Here is what I think happened

The picture showing the 3 missile launch is genuine.

Somebody went ahead and photoshoped the truck in a very obvious way to make it look like that Iranians were covering up the fact that their 4th missile malfunctioned. The photoshoped picture was given to the media and now that we know the picture is altered it sorta gives us the impression that Iran is exaggerating their missile threat.

[Prefer]

19. How do you know it malfunctioned?

maybe they only fired 3 at the time?

My guess is they altered the photo for composition purposes. Didn't they fire a total of 8 or nine anyway?

[ohio2007]

52. watch the video

looks like they were "under the hood" before
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=868_1215735213
and after the launch

failure to launch

[AllexxisF1]

18. I know it easy because I work with Photoshop all Day long in Web Design.

Ok I am seriously confused.

How many rockets did the video show?

and did the video show all of them?

[SteelPenguin]

21. 3

The iranians even released the original photo now. 3 rockets originally. Bad photoshop job to make it look like 4.

[progdonkey]

34. "so-called"?

"Because in the real picture there is another Missile truck poised to shoot another missile and its gone in the second pic but there is the 4th launch."

Yeah, that's kind of the definition of "photoshopping." That's what the whole discussion is about.

"Just look at the angle of the fence."

Huh? The angle of the fence is the same, it's just cropped a little higher in the top one.

It's the same launch, and the truck was just photoshopped out, a copy of the second-from-left missile was photoshopped in in its place, with the dirt kickup from the rightmost missile added in.

[KansDem]

15. Check out the smoke on the ground around the base of missiles 3 and 4

Particularly toward the right side of the cloud of smoke...

It's the same smoke!

[readmoreoften]

36. You got a link to that? The NYT said there was no proof that the fake came from Iran.

AFP said that the fake came from Iran, but when they tested the link it was the correct photo. This could have just as easily been a Western psyop as an Iranian psyop.

[The Stranger]

55. I doubt that they would they put out the fake and then follow it with the original.

It was more likely doctored by someone in the West to make it look more sinister than it really is.

[thewiseguy]

6. Here is a picture from an Iranian media site

[Canuckistanian]

10. SIX missiles!

Unless this was a separate launch, the Fars News Agency pics should be heavily scrutinized from now on.

[thewiseguy]

12. There is a video of these missile launches.

The big deal about yesterday's test was that Iran simultaneously launched various missiles.

Refer to my post above on what I think is really going on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtX4wHQn1a4

I found this video.

[superconnected]

45. Why would they launch 6 at once anyway, and if they did why

wouldn't they all be about the same distance off the gound, not some significantly higher and lower than the 3 in the middle. I suspect the 3 in the middle are real, but would did they launch all 3 at once if there is a test. Checking each one, one at a time seems like it'd be more prudent for any test.

[Swagman]

9. not as bad as the Saddam statue toppling photo-fake fake fake

[Frank Cannon]

17. Welcome to the new Soviet Union

Better than the old Soviet Union.

At least we don't have lines to buy bread... yet.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. In news reporting, there is no such thing

as Partially Fake

at least there should not be.

[harun]

14. Condi used this as an opportunity to pimp missile defense.

How are these people still in power?

[Hugabear]

16. Bullshit, it's real. Next, you'll be telling us this photo of an Iranian nuke test is fake

[hvn_nbr_2]

20. Saddam's WMDs are behind that fake missile!!!1111!!!11111!!1

I'm series!!! That's where they put all of them to hide them. So then some dummy took the picture from the wrong angle and they had to photoshop them out.:evilgrin:

[Emillereid]

22. Has Iran joined the axis of Photoshop?

Source: Guardian

Has Iran joined the axis of Photoshop?
July 10, 2008 3:02 PM

A photograph of four missiles being fired by Iran ratcheted up the tensions between the Islamic state and the US and Israel. But now it appears that Tehran may have enhanced the pictures.

The photographs originated from the media arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards (who knew?). While a widely used image shows four missiles heroically zooming through the air ...



... The original shows three rockets launching with a fourth apparently failing to fire.



AFP retracted its four-missile version this morning, saying that it was "apparently digitally altered". So have Iranian state media been using Photoshop?

Almost certainly. Fiona Shields of the Guardian picture desk has this to add:

<snip>

Read more: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2008/07/iranian_missile_tests_not_what.html

[exothermic]

23. Molehill -> Mountain

:shrug:

[tekisui]

24. If you are referring to the missile tests in general, yes.

The US and Israel are making a mountain out the molehill. They a prodding and poking and goading Iran into a dangerous corner.

[jeff30997]

26. Yep.So true.

[exothermic]

28. Yes, of course...the tests -and- whether there were 3 or 4 missiles in that picture.

BFD sez I

;-)

[Thothmes]

51. a 75% successful launch rate

will still do massive amounts of damage.

[bdamomma]

31. poking them in the eye is more like it.

the US and Israel are suicide mode.

[notadmblnd]

25. pretty obvious

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

27. Perhaps they have...

...it's not like they haven't had plenty of "how NOT to" digital imagery fraud examples to study from:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LwcZh42JMog

[Proud Liberal Dem]

29. How is it

When Iran test-launches missles, the situation suddenly becomes the "Iranian Missle Crisis" (I heard it described this way on NPR this morning - no kidding!) but when we send a group of aircraft carriers to the ME, talk about WW3 and possibly bombing Iran, and, more importantly, launch an unprovoked invasion/occupation of a sovereign country, particularly one right next door to Iran, we are portrayed has having acted in a reasonable and appropriate manner (or at least not in a hostile manner)? Bush, McCain et. must REALLY want another military conflict!

I.just.don't.get.it


:shrug:

[bdamomma]

30. probably the same photoshop when the US accused Syria

of having a nuclear facility also.

[askeptic]

32. Why do we need to rely on Iranian pictures?

With the billions spent on spy satellites, our government and others know exactly how many missiles launched. There might have been only one, (or even none) but because it served their purposes to make it seem bigger than it was, they didn't correct the story. We have still seen NO evidence that Iran really has any nuclear weapons program, but the MI complex is salivating at the thought of separating us from even more of our money.

Did you notice the rhetoric? Iran says it would only launch to retaliate if attacked, and Rice is out there saying US would "defend" itself. This is so much BS...

[daggahead]

33. How do we even know this picture was ...

from Iran? Maybe it was from our own military. Maybe it was found in the presidential palace in Baghdad.

I don't believe it ... not at all. This is the corporate media whoring for the Bushies ...

[readmoreoften]

37. There's no evidence that the photoshop came from Iran. It could've come from anywhere.

It could have or it could not have come from Iran. There is no proof of where the image came from.

[ohio2007]

41. Like al Jazeera ?

Iran tests more medium, long range missiles

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=139026

Why would they photo shop it ?


http://www.daylife.com/photo/076dcui1USaJL


A real flare for the dramatic is what they probably put in the papers;

[readmoreoften]

42. No one knows who photoshopped the picture. How about Al Hurra, the phony arabic station

that the US runs out of Virginia.

http://www.alhurra.com/archive.aspx

[ohio2007]

44. Got the link to their story with the pic ?

I don't read Al Hurra but al Jazeera ran with it

I know the official Iranian media likes to crop up their president to appear larger then he is in photo ops.





So their missile exercise had a few hitches.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8704200523

US still hasn't invaded Iran as the experts predicted for the past four years now.
Iran wants high oil prices.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSaZ5v1eW5I

[Psephos]

50. ur posts are spot on in this thread

still shakin' my head over why normally astute people here aren't following the money

rattle a saber, make a billion, and it happens in less than 24 hours

btw, luv that picture of AhmadineGiant - short man syndrome x 10, and how perfect is it that he's fixated on his shiny new ballistic missiles?

[bronxiteforever]

57. So what would you do?

[Psephos]

59. Could you make your question more specific?

Not sure what you're after here...

[Ian David]

35. Here's a photo of the guy in charge of launching the fourth missile...

[tchunter]

39. we're at day 767 of that particular hostage crisis,,,

this is nothing to joke about, FREE Private Cody

[ohio2007]

40. true missile results were photoshopped

[ohio2007]

38. Iranians photoshopped their own missile failure

mission accomplished ;)

The fourth missile “has apparently been added in digital retouch to cover a grounded missile that may have failed during the test.....



10 hours ago: In a picture released on the online service of the Iranian daily Jamejam on July 10, 2008, three missiles rise into the air as a forth remains in the launcher on the ground .....
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0guG4uX12E4bT/Sepah_News

It's a sign

alla has given the missiles Red Bull
Now they've got wings

[thewiseguy]

46. I highly doubt it that Iranians would photoshop their own missile test and then broadcast this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j72qdm0lOVo

Fastforward to Min 1:05

[ohio2007]

53. but they do and show them to the Iranian public

http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3171/html/


A few internet cafe types in Tehran probably grasp whats going on but at this point its just whipping a dead horse

[thewiseguy]

54. What are you talking about?

You seem to have no idea. :wtf:

[Psephos]

60. prolly something like this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080711/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iran_missiles

not only did they 'shop the images, the images were of the old missile that only goes 750 miles

I'm sure it worked fine for domestic consumption, though. Apart from a few savvy types at the internet cafes, no one in Iran is the wiser.

[thewiseguy]

61. I am surprised that AP is running a story like this based on what a blog said

There is no real substance provided by that blog. To may knowledge Iran never said their new Shahab 3 missiles had the 2 stage capability.

Plus Iran launched their first vehicle that was able to reach space earlier this year. That was a two stage rocket.

By the way, Iran had test fired Shahab 3 missiles in 2006 where it claimed they had a range of 2000 km. So comparing the picture of the Shahab 3 missile from last week's test to the older pictures would prove nothing.

The alleged improvement in last week's test was that newer Shahab 3 missiles were able of carrying cluster warheads.

[skoalyman]

47. dang maybe it'll fly over here and go up Bushs butt

:rofl:

[The Stranger]

56. You and Canuckstanian seem to be promoting that meme, but there is no support for it.

The New York Times couldn't track where the photoshop came from, and more importantly, if it were the Iranians (as opposed to someone in the West seeking to make the Iranian launch look that much more sinister), they wouldn't undercut the first picture by releasing the second afterwards.

[thewiseguy]

48. Why would Iranians alter that picture while they had broadcasted this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j72qdm0lOVo

Fastforward to Min 1:05.

Get real people. AFP is saying they got their picture from Sepah News, why would AFP want to get their picture from a website that is published in farsi? I went there myself and it was very hard for me to find any pictures from their missile tests.

How does one picture which has been visibly altered gets so much coverage and it finds the frontpage of most newspapers? :)

Why would Iranians alter an image when they have clearly broadcasted the video of this launch?

My guess is that this photo was altered to embarrass the Iranian guards over their failed missile test. That is rather a very dangerous move which would only further corner and agitate the Iranians.

[Igel]

58. Some plausible answers.

Not hard, really.

First, AFP has Persian speakers on their payroll; they need to have at least a couple of stringers because not everything published in Iran is translated into English or French. Pulling it from a Persian-only site would also make it easier for them to put out a 'product' that isn't already put out. Doesn't mean AFP isn't lying, just that there's a plausible explanation. You want to assume they're lying as a default assumption, that's your business.

Second, once Sepah, allegedly partly run by the Iranian military, was caught, why would they leave a blatantly false photograph up? CYA doesn't mean defending the indefensible. That seems to go to a crucial point. Numerous sites when caught with bad info update their sites, and you really have to look at the webpage source to find any hint that it's been updated (and not all people date their xml/html code).

Third, not everybody would have seen it, even in Iran, and certainly not abroad; moreover, just because they've seen the raw footage doesn't mean they wouldn't be able to assume that there wasn't an additional test with four missiles.

How does a picture that's been visibly altered get newspaper space? Gee, maybe because photo editors don't have much time and tend not to question everything that crosses their desks. A picture of Beirut after a bombing was crudely photoshopped, and yet got widely published.

Note, in addition, that one blogger claims to have found this particular photo (the 3-missile version) in print as early as 2006, while another claims that the first left and second left missiles are also cloned, except his case is harder to prove--they're similar, but not exact, so he claims that one missile comes from a picture taken several seconds later.

[ohio2007]

62. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad photo shopped Israel off the face of the map !

http://www.nostradamusonline.com/?a=278
the mullahs are pleased