With people’s tolerance of confinement starting to strain, the media has been paying close attention to crowds seemingly violating social distancing advice, with photographs taken using telephoto lenses potentially misrepresenting the density of people at certain locations. Deliberate or not, are camera lenses creating fake news?
The issue flared in the British media last week when tabloid newspapers were accused of manufacturing outrage by deliberately publishing photographs that were shot using telephoto lenses. As this Twitter thread explains, a photograph showed a densely packed boulevard, suggesting that government advice was being ignored. Closer examination, it is argued, suggests that the 40 people were in fact spread out across almost half a mile.
In the U.S., a photograph published by the O.C. Register suggested that the beach in San Clemente was packed with sun-seekers, all blissfully ignoring social distancing:
The image in full can be seen here. Five days later, this photograph led California Governor Gavin Newsom to close all of the beaches in Orange County which in turn prompted crowds to gather to protest against the order. Newsom was later accused of making decisions in response to a misleading photograph rather than actual data.
The O.C. Register later published the metadata from the controversial image in response to suggestions that it was not taken when it was claimed or had been manipulated. The EXIF data shows that it was shot at a focal length of 380mm on a Nikon D5.
Lens compression at 380mm is very noticeable, as detailed in this Fstoppers article from a few years ago, and discussed in the KTLA segment shown above. Here’s the gif mentioned by presenter Andy Riesmeyer:
The contrast with the helicopter footage is stark, though, as the presenters note, it's impossible to make a genuine comparison without having more information.
https://twitter.com/NBCLA/status/1254184442790391809
The response from O.C. Register makes for some interesting reading. While the question of whether people should be congregating in any numbers will no doubt draw impassioned debate, it's fascinating to see how a straight news photo has the potential to mislead, reminding us that fake news is not necessarily politically driven, and can be highly complex. Certainly, none of this is helped by the fact that, despite the best intentions, advice and regulations in response to the global pandemic can seem inconsistent, unenforceable, and illogical.
Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
LOVE this article! Thank you for sharing!
No fake news, we have been told to only go out for essentials like food or key workers to work.. Newport Beach, last time i checked, didnt cover either of those things.
The government pays for those beach days so why not? Right?
How does the government pay for a beach day? I’m retired. Does that matter?
Thanks!
The weekly or monthly stimulate that people receive from the government are for people to stay home, isolate themselves, not go the beach. You need to be away from people, right? That's why we don't go to work..to avoid being in crowds and such, right?
I honestly thought it was obvious.
Oh ok. I’m retired so I get social security. But I don’t get money not to go outside. I’m staying home to be safe and not hurt others or myself! I hope people who lost jobs get money. i just didn’t under stand about the beach point.
Sorry it was Not obvious to me I’m new here and it’s difficult to understand internet talk sometimes. Thanks for your patience!
We all should do our part helping keep our society safe so we can all get back to our lives as it was before.
I feel bad that retirees cannot enjoy and take full advantage of their retirement. Not being able to travel and go places, not even a nice dinner at a restaurant.
I feel that this will be a reality for a little while, maybe even longer than a little while. We were not able to visit my wife's parents for almost two months now. Summer is approaching and I hope we will be able to at least enjoy the company of friends and family.
All the best
I bet your wife’s parents are sad they haven’t seen you two, but proud that you are doing the right thing by staying away and keeping them and everyone else safe! That’s how I feel with my nieces and nephews.
We old ones are tough! We will get thru is with everyone else!
All the best to you to.
Yes, that too shall pass! All the best!
Given that nearly all “journalists” are leftists and the media is no longer accurate, how is any of this surprising? Years ago, the NYtimes publishes a famous photo of an Israeli policeman with a baton grimacing menacingly over a bloodied victim who they “mistakenly” identified as a Palestinian. Problem was that the victim was a Jew who was beaten up by a Palestinian mob and the policeman was protecting the victim. The problem is and was the truth doesn’t fit the narrative the non-objective “journalists” want to convey. It may be uncomfortable, and it should be because the distinction between “journalism” and propaganda is quite narrow. Thank you fstoppers for courageously presenting this information. Hold on, you’ll be attacked resoundly.
journalism = propaganda for a very long time now...
You know all about this Please help me find news. Where do you go to find news? I don’t want propagandas.
Help! I'm more confused now. I went to Google and found the story of the photo. But everyone said it was ap not nytimes, and that it was a mistake that nytimes wrote to say sorry for. Can you explain why this is leftist propaganda if they made a mistake and said they were wrong and then fixed it? I don't understand. I thought propaganda was lying. not making a mistake. Is propaganda the wrong word? Were you think of something else?
Thanks!
Propaganda can also be to publish a lie in the front page and retract without the same exposure.
You push a narrative. And Everytime you make a mistake is in the same direction
Wow that's really nasty. So scary and sneaky this propaganda! So nytimes put the picture on the front page and then didn't say sorry on the front page? The Google search said it was on page A5, is that the first page? And the Google search said nytimes wrote a whole article saying sorry and talking about the poor Jewish man in the picture and the policeman trying to help him. Is that fake news? Did that not happen? Is the Google page I found also propaganda? You seem really smart so I'm asking you these questions.Thanks!
Also I would appreciate no negative votes from you. Its mean and I believe in the power of positivity! Why are you so negative? I'll pray for you.
Leftist? Nope. The deceptive 380mm photo was published by the Orange County Register. That newspaper is owned by Digital Media First, which is owned by Alden Global Capital, which was founded by Randall D. Smith — a registered Republican known for his use of offshore companies.
Why did you not respond and be negative instead? Please answer my question! Thanks!
"the throngs were estimated at up to 40,000 on Friday with a similar crowd expected Saturday."
telephoto or no telephoto. thats too many people in one place.
I too have the beach available to me very close. I dont go. the world wont blow up (yet) but im doing my small part to keep my distance wear a mask I see news footage of cities in the US. man, people not wearing masks or keeping distance.
USA, my heart cries for you guys. very sad to say, but its going to be absolutely horrible. 30000 infected daily for a month, nonstop. do your protests but youre all yelling together close to one another. poor folks.
Its very sad. I pray for all those lost. Thank you for your concern!
With love,
An American
damn I hope you guys pull through fast. theyre talking about a 2nd wave. but at this rate, the 2nd wave will just like a continuation of the first wave.
god bless you all.
I believe in America and the world. We we get thru: just have to be tough and smart and act in love (like the love and care you show!). Blessings to you and your country too.
Thanks!
I love your positive attitude! bravo!
Thank you! Very kind of you to say!
A lot of journalism is partisan and the photographers' job is to reinforce the editor's message. Thank you for this article it is a wonderful piece.
Nothing new... photographers have been using their choice of equipment and composition to drive the narrative since before the Great Depression.
Doesn't matter, beach is not an essential service and it's not just about leaving distance between them while they were sitting, I am sure most of them have come close contact at some point during their beach stay.
We blame gov for not doing enough and then blame them for trying something. No one knows how this thing will turn out, but doing what we can will help.
Last thing we want this summer is a second wave of pandemic, much more aggressive due to these behaviours.
"No one knows how this thing will turn out"
well, with 1.2million infected and 70000, its turning out bad worse then bad? catastrophe is a better word? if the numbers dont come down, and they havent for over a month (30000 infected every day for more then a month) then the 2nd wave may be a slight imperceptible bump. im not even in the US and im scared as hell.
1.2 million 'affected' is not catastrophic, but if these behaviours continue, it may lead to few millions dead and then it becomes catastrophic. 1920 Spanish flu 'killed' 200+ million people approximately.
Despite, it is still prudent to take measure. I am not scared as hell, but I am cautious.
Never once have I seen a lens show up anywhere and create a fake photograph.
I think they mean the cameraman did it. Mr. Stopper: please fix? I don't want you to be propaganda
this one lens. I knew it. mr 380mm youre going down! wait till I get my hands on you, you fakester! who do you think you are? 400mm?
It’s unfortunate that so much of the opinions and comments turn towards moral value judgements against those who want to “open up” the country and the world. By freezing all activity, the US and the entire world are slipping into a major recession, and in some countries current starvation.
One person here said that having 40,000 people on a beach, “that’s too many people in one place”. But that opinion is clearly not based in the facts of the overhead video scan of that beach showing distances of well over 6 foot separation. And another stated that the beach “is not an essential service”. Again an opinion that is not based in health facts. Being outside on a beach is far better than being inside. And the actions of going to a beach, and getting the health phycological benefits of that activity could do much to ward off other negative health problems.
I miss the beach! Very good for my head health (but gotta wear the sunblock!) Can you explain how the beach is safe from Corona? I'm elderly and don't want to get it. Does the saltwater kill Corona?
I tried asking other people about dissenfectant but they didnt answer. Hope you do!
Who are they to arbitrarily decide what is essential? The press once challenged the government and facts, now they are simply the mouthpiece for certain elements. That lack of a truly free press is the hallmark of totalitarian regimes like China.
I hate how the news always agrees with The President too! They should pressure him not cow tow. I love and respect him too but this is democracy and all politicians need to be accounted for! But Fox is not China. I don’t agree with your opinion. But that ok! We can disagree because this is not China it’s America!
I hope telephoto compression isn't something photographers on FStoppers didn't already know.
A Mr. Leigh Smith is negative voting what I said about loving my country and loving other people. I am so sad that people have such negativity.
MR> LEIGH SMITH I AM ASKING YOU IN PUBLIC TO PLEASE STOP! WE CAN SOLVE THIS WITH LOVE AND RESPECT
PLEASE RESPOND. WHY DO YOU HATE ME AND AMERICA AND LOVE?
thank you,
Alfie
(my friends call me Alfie. I hope you will be my friend too!)
You comment in a comment section which is politically divisive and then complain when people respond negatively.
Are you new to the Internet?
However, to answer your question, the United States is a hegomonic power and represents everything wrong with capito-liberalism. Its present ills (domestically and internationally) have been brought upon itself.
I've had xfinity at my house for a while but didn't use the web much (just mail and Google search). My nieces got me on some new pages to get me social during Quarantine-my husband and brother recently passed and its hard to be social when you cant go out much. So I've been on for a couple months now. Not very new, but sorta! Thanks for asking!
I love america very much and know people have issues with it and thats ok becuase nobody is perfect and countries arent perfect either. We can all grow and get better but im happy we have freedom to share ideas without going to gulag or something! Thank goodness for that!
Again, the US is receiving everything it decerves; just wait till the Executive realise they can't stop the war they are about to start with China - manufacturing consent for idiots.
Guess thats your opinion! I dont want a war: they're horrible for everyone. That we can agree on
Do not presume my worldview.
How did I do that? Do you want war? Have you been to war? Its awful. If you had been to war you wouldnt ask for it.
But maybe I a presuming too much. What worldview are you talking about?
As I said, I'm utterly bored of you. Go bother someone else.
Mr. Blake you started the conversation with me and you are still being a bratty nasty person. I don't appreciate it and you should say your sorry when you speak so rudely.
Being bored is negative and comes from all the anger you have. Be positive and you wont be so bored!
You aren't even insightful enough to intuit the difference between "bored" and "bored of you".
Why don't you cry more about how mean the other children are. Oh why do they down vote me? Oh why, God, why?
You keep talking to me so you don't seem very bored of me. Be truthful and try hard to be nice.
You are a child? I though adults had to be on this forum. I guess that makes your brattiness and insecureness make sense. You will get less angry and nasty if you try hard and learn to be open, kid! I believe in you!
-Alfie
Also I see you are negative posting me too and that;s not necessary before you give me time to respond and be positive. You can more flies with honey than vinegar! Please be nicer. Thanks!
There is nothing quite as pathetic as someone who cries about the obvious and inevitable consequences of their voluntary actions.
Are you saying I am pathetic? Im not crying, so I dont understand. Im not sure if you are being mean or not. I hope you arent: theirs no reason for that...