It is just occasionally that you realise that you know more than everyone around you. It is a heady experience and it happened to me with the publication of the Princess of Wales, Mothers Day photograph.
Suspicious Activity
As these pages show I do know a bit more than average about Photoshop (PS), I use it every day. So, when saw the picture I was immediately suspicious. To me, Catherine’s face was a softer focus than that of her children, and her right hand was definitely out of focus, but the child’s jumper was in focus.
Then it happened the picture agencies put a kill notice on the photograph because it had clearly been doctored in PS. Others came out and pointed out all the inconsistencies. The red sleeve, no wedding ring, and visible joins where images had been merged. Gaps in the background where the windows did not quite come together.
The Press Agencies Withdraw the Royal Photo
The agencies were right to withdraw the royal photo because this was an untruthful press / PR picture. If a press photographer is ever found to have changed an allegedly ‘news’ photograph, they could lose their livelihood. Reputation is built on providing genuine photographs of what is in front of you, not a confection of images joined together as in this instance.
Palace Statement
However, for me, the biggest mistake was the Palace PR machine compounding one inconsistency with another. We know now that Prince William could not have taken the royal photo, we know now that the photograph was made up. The Palace then released a statement from the ‘Princess of Wales’:
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing, I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
The message was signed off “C,” indicating it came directly from Catherine.
Implications
Although the princess does not actually fess up, the clear implication is that she did it. How can this be true? As I said, it is just occasionally that you realise that you know more than everyone around you. I know PS and I understand the general level of expertise of most amateur photographers. I am an amateur photographer myself and through these channels, I communicate with others all the time Although this photograph is a botched job, it does not look like the work of an amateur.
You need professional PS skills to attempt this type of composite and ironically it would take considerable expertise just to create what is there.
This photograph and the following statement create more questions than answers. Do the Palace take us all for fools or is there something far more sinister going on that requires one piece of misinformation to be followed by another and then yet another?