In the news today....
- Thread starter MaC
- Start date
MaC
Moderator
Giant redwoods: World’s largest trees 'thriving in UK'
A survey of giant redwoods growing in the UK reveals the trees are doing well - and growing fast.
www.bbc.co.uk
The world's largest trees are surviving in the UK.....all half a million of them !
Saint-Just
Administrator
I disagree, partially: The agencies were right to kill the photo, and to let people know it did.
It still reflects badly on them because they should have spotted it instead of trusting Clarence House (and had they done so it wouldn't had hit the news at all, and no one would have felt a disturbance in the Force), but they pulled it when the doctoring was pointed out.
Now I agree entirely of the subsequent issue of the press (as opposed to news agencies) milking this as if nothing else had happened in the world those last few days.
We really disagree here.
Your friend's ways are irrelevant: he is no news photographer, and therefore sells art, not scoops. A bit like asking a painter to sign a picture before he finished it.
And yes, photos are regularly manipulated. Especially within news agencies, because a newsworthy picture is rarely perfect and the important details it may contain often need to be enhanced. The agency does that; it will either refuse the photo or add very visible caveats if it has been done before it reaches them.
They are not entitled arseholes: they are professionals, and many people's lives -not to mention livelihood- depend on the accuracy of what they publish. The entitled arsehole here is whoever doctored the photo, especially if it's a Windsor. It's a badly botched job and reflected badly on all involved.
They are not a normal family. Stop pretending they are. I am not really sure they are happy either, even if they do their best for their children to be (at least during their childhood years).
MaC
Moderator
Normally your conversation is calm and well, considerate.
I totally fail to see why this issue is an issue. It's mince.
As for the family, and they are a family, it's just Mum posting a photo, and most folks thought it nice.
I feel heart sorry for them to be honest, they live under this intense nosey scrutiny, and it's not kind, it's vicarious and jealousy ridden bile and spite and the media egg it on.
My friend sells his photos, and yes it is art, but there's no way on this green earth that News photos are not also doctored. Reputable journalism is one thing, but any quick scan on the net shows just how often images are altered.
I utterly refuse to believe there is any real 'honour' among the paparazzi or editors looking to raise a fuss.
This wasn't even 'news', it was public interest, it was a happy sort of mothers day image.
Hardly worth the bother, so someone stirred it up.
Aye, indeed. The world's gone nuts, and peeping Toms and Tomasinas have their phones and cameras everywhere.
It's all rather sad.
I totally fail to see why this issue is an issue. It's mince.
As for the family, and they are a family, it's just Mum posting a photo, and most folks thought it nice.
I feel heart sorry for them to be honest, they live under this intense nosey scrutiny, and it's not kind, it's vicarious and jealousy ridden bile and spite and the media egg it on.
My friend sells his photos, and yes it is art, but there's no way on this green earth that News photos are not also doctored. Reputable journalism is one thing, but any quick scan on the net shows just how often images are altered.
I utterly refuse to believe there is any real 'honour' among the paparazzi or editors looking to raise a fuss.
This wasn't even 'news', it was public interest, it was a happy sort of mothers day image.
Hardly worth the bother, so someone stirred it up.
Aye, indeed. The world's gone nuts, and peeping Toms and Tomasinas have their phones and cameras everywhere.
It's all rather sad.
Like with all things it's degrees isn't it. People lie all the time but we still have libel and slander laws for example. There has been a growing problem with fake AI imagery because the impact it could have on society is significant. That the palace released a picture to the press with the hallmarks of an AI manipulated image is a big deal - it's a completely different prospect to airbrushing out a pimple or changing some lighting.
MaC
Moderator
Was it AI ? I thought Catherine just said that she'd played around with it herself.....just like Mum's do, or I think she actually said something along the lines of like many amateur photographers do.
I don't think we're ever going to agree on the unimportance/importance of this.
Honestly ? life's too short to quibble over someone's Mother's Day snap
Saint-Just
Administrator
You haven't looked what was done then.
Let me help, so at least we'll be disagreeing on something more substantial.
NB: I wrote the whole thing, then looked for detailed images to illustrate what I meant, and realised I had tried to rediscover tepid water as the BBC had made it better than I could, so I gave the page reference at the end of my poor post
Let's start with Kate:
-her right hand is blurred but the green jersey is perfectly in focus
-her right hand doesn't have a ring
-the contour of her hair is also blurred
-the zip on the left side of Kate's jacket is not straight, between under George's left hand and above it.
Then there is the pattern in Prince Louis's jumper is uneven (right sleeve, where the jacquard meets the plain colour.
Charlotte's skirt is also quite strange on her right hand side, near George's hand, as well as on the left, in the triangle formed by her jumper, her sleeve and Kate's left hand. I am not convincedCharlotte's wrist is at an improbable angle but this has been mentioned, too.
For me this what makes me think AI is involved as the missing part of the sleeve is undeniably filled with a different textured fabric, rather than a blur.
It's better explained here.
Finally, still from the same BBC page, are the rules about editing:
Let me help, so at least we'll be disagreeing on something more substantial.
NB: I wrote the whole thing, then looked for detailed images to illustrate what I meant, and realised I had tried to rediscover tepid water as the BBC had made it better than I could, so I gave the page reference at the end of my poor post
Let's start with Kate:
-her right hand is blurred but the green jersey is perfectly in focus
-her right hand doesn't have a ring
-the contour of her hair is also blurred
-the zip on the left side of Kate's jacket is not straight, between under George's left hand and above it.
Then there is the pattern in Prince Louis's jumper is uneven (right sleeve, where the jacquard meets the plain colour.
Charlotte's skirt is also quite strange on her right hand side, near George's hand, as well as on the left, in the triangle formed by her jumper, her sleeve and Kate's left hand. I am not convincedCharlotte's wrist is at an improbable angle but this has been mentioned, too.
For me this what makes me think AI is involved as the missing part of the sleeve is undeniably filled with a different textured fabric, rather than a blur.
It's better explained here.
Finally, still from the same BBC page, are the rules about editing:
Jaggededge
Explorer
At least we've forgotten about Ukraine and Gaza. Fuck em when there's a dodgy family photo to witter about.
BorderReiver
Moderator
Amen.Was it AI ? I thought Catherine just said that she'd played around with it herself.....just like Mum's do, or I think she actually said something along the lines of like many amateur photographers do.
I don't think we're ever going to agree on the unimportance/importance of this.
Honestly ? life's too short to quibble over someone's Mother's Day snap
A rare log in from me as am having a browse. No idea what the fuss is about re the royal photo, can make no sense of it.
People on here and in the flesh have been kind enough in the past to say that I have a good eye for a photo, I don't even know how to altar an image apart from when the phone says fix lighting, and I think I have only done it for flower close ups so the shadow doesn't hide the flower.
A good photo is a snapshot in time but I don't think that's a lie, just some people can't see it.
People on here and in the flesh have been kind enough in the past to say that I have a good eye for a photo, I don't even know how to altar an image apart from when the phone says fix lighting, and I think I have only done it for flower close ups so the shadow doesn't hide the flower.
A good photo is a snapshot in time but I don't think that's a lie, just some people can't see it.
The 'appeal to worse problems' as it's colloquially known
Beachlover
Moderator
Beachlover
Moderator
Beachlover
Moderator
Oldtimer
Explorer
Next year can we please have the last day of the Six Nations on 22 April. But anyway, congratulations, Ireland. It was a fine tournament. Congrats also to Italy. Wales, I won't stir it as you have the wherewithal.
Andylaser
Administrator
Protesters trespass for ‘right to roam’ at Cirencester Park in the Cotswolds
The park had been free to access for centuries, but now electric pedestrian gates have been installed and visitors are being charged
www.telegraph.co.uk
Beachlover
Moderator
Britain 2024 and a sign of things to come.Protesters trespass for ‘right to roam’ at Cirencester Park in the Cotswolds
The park had been free to access for centuries, but now electric pedestrian gates have been installed and visitors are being charged
Saint-Just
Administrator
Beachlover
Moderator
Tomorrow really, but could please I ask that we all take a moment to spare a thought for Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson and others of their ilk this "Palm" Sunday? 
Andylaser
Administrator
No wonder the busses are always late.
Beachlover
Moderator
Jaggededge
Explorer
Ooof.
Beachlover
Moderator
Should have gone to Specsavers.