donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

This is what happens when you get a call from a friend associated with the UT cheer squad ...

Q: Help, Don ... do you have a shot of the UT cheer squad that I can use for some promo work?

A: Sure do.

Q: Great! Do you have a shot of 'Smokey'?

A: Yep.

Q: That's awesome! Are they together?

A: Umm ... no they aren't, but I can fix that. No worries ...

For those out there who think compositing and post work is cheating, this is absolutely why it isn't. We call it, "selling the fake."

Without 'Smokey'

(Download)

With 'Smokey'

(Download)

debbie wrazen Loc: Western New York

Well done, donlea.; wish I had that skill level.

donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

Why, thank you Debbie, I really appreciate that. ;-)

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

I call it talent.....from capture to final result it is one's choice to present what one wishes.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

It's only cheating if presented as photojournalism.

donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

So would you have a problem if this composite accompanied a feature story in a magazine or newspaper?

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

As the photographer? No, as long as I clearly inform the client that the image is a composite and did not exactly happen as presented. At that point, responsibility has been transferred to the client, and it's up to the client to decide to print it or not.

As the reader? I suppose I'd like to be able to trust what I see as having actually occurred when presented within the format of journalism. A little corrective image editing is one thing, and generally one expects this to some extent. But placing people together who were not together at that moment is a very different matter.

As the client? Although tempting... no, probably not print it. It's about integrity and honesty towards the magazine's readers. I've worked on a university campus newspaper staff many years ago. Falsifying events or intentionally presenting false data to spice up a news story would have never entired my mind as an option. It's simply bad journalism.

donolea Loc: Nashville, TN

I can tell you as someone who has worked for years as an asst. art director, designer and paginator for a number of Gannett newspapers, Billboard magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and a couple of sports magazines, this type of compositing happens more than you might think.

As for the client, well, it was the client who asked for it. Smokey was on the field at the very same time, same game, he was just too far out front to fit in a single image. Anyone who was at that game knows Smokey was there and came out with the cheer team. Composite the two together and you have a workable image that pleases the client or an editor. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts, if I hadn't told you it was a composite, you would not have known.

I'll give you another example: a couple of years back I was working for a Tennessee Titans publication, I was handed a great photo by one of the editors of one out the Titans' linebackers deflecting a pass. Space was tight and when I placed the pic, the deflected ball was outside of the working area. The photo wasn't nearly as strong without the ball in it. My editor asked if there was anything I could do, so I just composited it back into the photo within the border of my space and looked totally natural. Everyone in Nashville knew he batted down that pass, so was that dishonest? I think that goes back to your corrective image editing — which I completely agree with.

It's not to mislead, present false data or be dishonest, which, as you might be suggesting, could surely be used to present a false narrative by other less honorable photographers, designers, or editors. Don't confuse this type of work for what the National Enquirer publishes, or the absolutely false video edits that major news networks produce to effect their agenda.

That's why I titled this real-world, because it does happen — within reason and what is believable. Having said all that, I think you and I agree. ;-)

Don