Who is Adnan Hajj? (UPDATES)
- Posted by Beth on August 5th, 2006 filed in General, International, Islamofascism, Israel, Journalism, The War, WTF
LGF, Ace, and Allah (along with more people by the minute) are calling bullshi’ite on this obviously-photoshopped picture from al-Reuters. So am I.
Nice smoke pattern, huh? Duh. Left & Right also notes the buildings were cloned. See the closeups here. UPDATE: Also see THIS.
Note that the credited photographer is someone named Adnan Hajj. I just did a very quick Google search on his name and haven’t even begun to dig into it, but one thing I’ve found is this, in a post about the “creative photography”/Pallywood style of the reporting in Lebanon–in this case, in Qana:
But the photographers, it seems, are not too fussy about how they go about “adding to the shock value”. These two sequences illustrate the extent to which photographers on the scene are prepared to ensure that the “shock value” is maximised.
In this first of the two sequences, we see a shot by Reuters and taken by Adnan Hajj, timed at 2:21 pm. It has the caption:
Rescuers pull the body of a toddler victim of an Israeli air raid on Qana that killed more than 60 people, the majority of them women and children, in south Lebanon, July 30, 2006.
And also this at The American Thinker:
The evidence that the photographs at Qana were staged is so evident that the following photographers must be called to account for their conduct. Surely it is a crime to misuse their privileged media position to aid in propaganda. Adnan Hajj of Reuters; Nicolas Asfouri of AFP; Mohammed Zaatari of AP; Kevin Frayer of AP
As I said, it was just a quick search. I haven’t even begun to look at the other photos in the news that are credited to Adnan Hajj, but that’s definitely something that needs to be done to see if there are other questionable ones. Allah has taken a quick look, but I’m going to look some more. I predict we’ll find a pattern in his photography style. It’s also worth keeping a critical eye on the other photographers listed in that Qana/American Thinker quote.
UPDATE: Is Adnan Hajj the same Adnan Hajj as this? “WSG” is the Wire Services Guild, which is now the News Media Guild. I have no idea what any of that means with regard to Adnan Hajj, though. Does that mean he used to be a freelance photojournalist? Maybe it means nothing. I don’t know.
Rusty Shackelford has another photo from Adnan Hajj that he thinks looks sketchy, and so does Michelle Malkin.
You know it’s bad when even Metafilter is ripping on it.
UPDATE 2: Contact Reuters HERE and ask them to investigate Adnan Hajj’s agenda and his work–specifically this photo. Ask them how this photo passes as “news,” and let them know this calls into question all the work from Adnan Hajj–and by extension, Reuters itself. You can also send email HERE.
UPDATE 3: I dunno, but to me this looks as fake as Nancy Pelosi’s face. Forget it, I enlarged it and it looks legit. Moving right along…
Hilarious mocking going on at Free Republic, like this and this. And this. Now I’m spitting Diet Coke all over the place. :mrgreen:
Uh oh…looks like the Freepers found another one:
Click this to enlarge:
…and also see this enlargement.
More stuff at Ace’s, too (new post).
Jeff says at The Shape of Days:
Folks, I hate to break this to you, but it really doesn’t matter very much now what happened in Beirut. Now the story is that a photojournalist — or his editor, or whomever it turns out to be — faked a photo, and that Reuters ran it on their wire. Once you start just making stuff up, the argument is over. You’ve lost.
Yep. And like Jeff said, as far as I’m concerned all benefit of the doubt with regard to the Qana story is GONE.
I’m pretty sure Adnan Hajj is Lebanese. I really don’t see how he could NOT be biased in his approach in this situation, but on the other hand, we have American journalists who are more likely to fake the news on behalf of the enemy, and have done so already. But this is about Israel and Lebanon. Sorry, but I can’t say I’m all that surprised that the guy’s a liar when it comes to Israel.
The American media is setting itself up for a massive scandal. One day, it will in fact come out that they are guilty of willful blindness and a deliberate avoidance of asking their stringers tough questions to maintain their own plausible deniability.
And they’ll have to answer some hard questions, such as, “If you’re so vigilant against being ‘used’ by the American government for its ‘propaganda,’ why are you so blithely nonchalant about being worse-used by America’s enemies?”
UPDATE 4, 08/06/06 @06:25: Ynet News picks it up.
(MVRWC overlooked, again. I’m so indie! :cool:)
Tags: photoshop, photography, photojournalism, al-Reuters, Reuters, propaganda, agitprop, fake but accurate, media, MSM, drive-by media, Lebanon, hezbollah, hizballah, pallywood
- Who is Adnan Hajj?
- Reutergate: Picture Killed
- The “real” Reuters-Adnan Hajj photo found
- All Your Smoke Are Belong To Us
- Meanwhile, More Reuters Hezbollywood
- How’s This for a Fake?
- + + ORIGINAL F16 FAKE PHOTO FOUND - MUST CREDIT MVRWC + +
- Reutergate Goes Viral
A Blog For All says:
Smoke Signals
Charles at LGF thinks that there’s something fishy with the smoking rising from one of the buildings on the left side. I think he’s definitely on to something.
Old War Dogs says:
Reuters Doctoring Photos from Beirut
Credit Charles Johnson with the original catch, apparently. Hat tip: Allahpundit. More at Left Right and Ace of Spades. Ace is on cloud 9. Also don’t miss Who is Adnan Hajj?
raz0r says:
And we’re surprised? I didn’t think so.
The Jawa Report says:
Reuters Doctoring Beirut Photos
The photo below is attributed to Adnan Hajj, of the Reuters news agency. The photo alleges to show smoke covering the Beirut sky. The problem with the photo is that it is that it has been doctored to make it…
SondraK says:
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Their PhotoShopping is worse than mine!!!!!!!
beth says:
They don’t try very hard do they? Just a little more effort would make it a TAD more believable! :roll:
Ace of Spades HQ says:
Reutergate!
Small Dead Animals names the scandal. That’s it. She got it. So stop trying to come up with anything better. Via Michelle, who has lots of updates and links. And also commentary from professional photographers at SportsShooter.com. The consensus: The…
RightWinged.com says:
Photoshopping The News - Reuters Blows Smoke Up Our…
***UPDATE*** Photography experts, please analyze the negative I created, and email me at randy at rightwinged dot com Once again we have Reuters proving why you CAN’T TRUST ANYTHING you see in the mainstream media. I’m not saying that nothing…
Strangely Silent: De Doc`s Ventures » Blog Archive » A Moment Of Clarity says:
[...] Brought to you by Jeff Harrell: Once you start just making stuff up, the argument is over. You’ve lost. [...]
Squiggler says:
Beirut photoshopping?
When I saw this first set of a Beruit photo broken down, I wasn’t sure I was seeing what the blog authors posting the photo were seeing or expected me to see, even after seeing what Ace claimed might be the original photo. I have since changed my mind…
Beth says:
Sondra!
Their PhotoShopping is worse than mine!!!!!!!
HAAA!!!! You pwn their azz!!!
Something... and Half of Something says:
Go Go Godzilla
Oh those evil Zionist Oppressors! WTF? Beth has the story……
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » REUTERGATE says:
[...] HERE is the original post - I can’t move it to the current date or the permalink will get all screwed up. LindaSoG says, “Go Godzilla!” [...]
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » REUTERGATE says:
[...] HERE is the original post - I can’t move it to the current date or the permalink will get all screwed up. LindaSoG says, “Go Godzilla!” Linda got it from Slublog here. [...]
She Who Will Be Obeyed! says:
Reutergate
In case you are as oblivious to the news as I have been for the last week, it seems that a photographer for Reuters has been playing with photoshop. Beth at MVRWC and LindaSog at Something … and Half of…
Villainous Company says:
It’s The Joooooooooooooooooos!!!!
In one of those iconic photographic moments that will no doubt come to symbolize the barbarity with which the struggle between Hezbollah and Israel is being played out, Al-Reuters catches the Warmongering Zionist Deathcommandos raining hellfire down on…
Mark Rosenthal says:
Thanks for following this - the entire press thing is getting wierder and wierder and worse and worse. It’s as if the entire world is doing a moral headstand. “Beirutgate” sounds pretty accurate to me.
We need all the help we can get. The war is not going well for Israel and I suspect this is just the overture to worse things to come. And I am so disgusted at the left that they are playing right into the enemies’ (and there is more than one) hands….
directorblue says:
I call Hajj Adnan Riefenstahl. I’m pretty sure that, if he were still around, Eason Jordan would approve.
Suitably Flip says:
Reuters Predicts Lamont Victory (Satire)
Eager to put the embarrassment of Reutergate behind them, Reuters’ Art Department has shifted today’s news focus, by officially predicting victory for Democratic challenger Ned Lamont in Connecticut’s U.S. Senate primary, citing the follow photograp…
A Blog For All says:
Smoke Signals Photo Removed by Reuters
We’re sorry for the inconvenience? That’s not an inconvenience. It’s actively engaging in propaganda for terrorists. How is Reuters able to get an uncorrected version of this photo? Is the original coming from the photographer or someone within Reut…
Blue Star Chronicles says:
Carnival of Blue Stars #16
Welcome to the 16th Carnival of Blue Stars. Our military men and women are our best and brightest! Their accomplishments are the pride of our country. The Carnival of Blue Stars gives us, the families, friends, supporters, veterans and current servic…
stikNstein….has no mercy » Blog Archive » Lies..and the Lying Liars That Tell Them says:
[...] My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy has some good links HERE. [...]
annika's journal says:
Now We Know Why They Doctored The Photo
You may have been following the Reuters doctored photo controversy. If not, Beth has a great rundown. Of course, my sources here at annika’s journal came through for me again. Now we know why Reuters photographer Adnan Hajj felt the…
Tel-Chai Nation says:
Reutered photos and toy decoys
Another blow to MSM credibility on mideast issues is their doctoring, or, as in the case Reuters, Reutering the photos of Lebanon during Israeli warplaning, to make it look like the damage done was even worse than it was. Little Green Footballs has s…
Wild Thing says:
You said it all Beth, this is great!
Reuters is a mess! Hahahahha
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Meanwhile, more Reuters Hezbollywood? says:
[...] Michelle Malkin is updating with stuff as it progresses. UPDATE @20:45: Is anyone going to look at this? I noted it in the original post, but it died there. I don’t know exactly what to look for. Maybe it’s nothing, I dunno. [...]
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » How’s this for a fake? says:
[...] Damn right! As Bilby said, “Well, you and some people at Free Republic were concentrating on pixels and potential photoshops when the most important aspects relate to the caption on the photo.” Right in front of my damn face! HA! Of course, I can’t find the photo on the wires right now…still looking…because Reuters?/Yahoo News seems to have pulled it or something, presumably because Reuters canned Adnan Hajj. Here’s the link for now, but I’ll keep updating this. Here’s where I raised the issue. I know this is garbled, but I haven’t slept for shi’ite. [...]
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Reuters fallout: Stuff everyone’s already seen says:
[...] More: Beth is and was all over this story, as is Ed Driscoll, who sees the forest for the trees. And for the record, here’s how you photoshop smoke. Note the shadow. I hope to be that good myself someday in twenty or thirty years. [...]
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » says:
[...] Who is Adnan Hajj? (UPDATES) [...]
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Who is Adnan Hajj? (UPDATES) says:
[...] August 5, 2006 Who is Adnan Hajj? (UPDATES) [...]
Six Meat Buffet » Blogosphere Ablaze With Reuters Fakery says:
[...] Beth, the Bama Pachyderm [...]
That Tom Guy says:
Check out the fake arms on this dude in another photo Hajj took!
Link - fixed –Beth
Beth says:
Tom, the link doesn’t work…?
That Tom Guy says:
LINK
that hopefully works
Beth says:
Tom, I don’t get it. What’s fake about his arms?
You know about Green Helmet Man, right?
That Tom Guy says:
Looks unrealistic in both shading and size. Look at the picture. The person doesn’t seem to scale with his surroundings or his forearms. People who photoshop F-16s and fake burning buildings in imaginary mock ups of cities apparently photoshop people as well.
nat says:
this -photo (below for link) look like a possible photoshop?
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060206/news_1n6cartoon.html
Beth says:
Nat, that one grabbed my attention the other night too. I enlarged it and tried to find something “off” but I couldn’t. But like I keep saying, I’m no expert. I’m sure a GOOD photoshopper could get something past me. Not that Hajj is a good PSer, though. ;-)
I know what you mean though; it just looks weird, especially since we’re all probably extra-vigilant right now. As far as I’m concerned, almost every photo coming out of Lebanon is suspect in my eyes right now.
Tom: I just don’t see it. I just see Green Helmet’s arm being behind his leg, or whatever that is. It does look weird/misshapen at first, but it’s the angle.
Also, Green Helmet’s pictures have been looked at SO much because of the whole Qana thing possibly being staged, I’m pretty sure that after the last couple of days–especially considering Adnan Hajj did photograph him in Qana–that’s one of the photos that’s been past thousands of pairs of eyes.
You might want to go check around at Free Republic or at LGF for right now and see if something turns up with those armies of eyes. I desperately want to do some digging, but I’ve been doing this for the last…I dunno, what day is it? The last 40 hours or so, with no sleep. I’m going to check around later, though.
I am about to die to get some sleep but I can’t pull myself away from the computer to do it!
:shock:
Pe E. T. says:
and you all thought that there is something like a “just war” and “objecive reporting” — while war is about power and propaganda and lies … ever since mankind started their first war. don’t bee pathetic.
Beth says:
PE: Oh please. Way to try to turn this into an indictment of current American foreign policy.
So what’s YOUR solution? You mention “since mankind started “their” first war,” apparently acknowledging that war is a fact of life–that’s absolutely correct. As long as their are humans, there will be war. So what, eliminate humans? But then you speak of “just war” as a concept that doesn’t exist, as though WE invented the stupid concept. Sorry, that idea only exists because of those who are reflexively antiwar. It sounds to me as if you are one of those antiwar people. So unless you have a viable solution to the fact that human beings WILL have war, the “peace movement” has no argument.
I maintain that the antiwar position is based in fantasy and utopianism. We’ll have world peace some day–around the same time we have a real Santa Claus and Easter Bunny and tooth fairy. Don’t even try to tell me that humanity needs to evolve to some higher consciousness or become enlightened, either; we’ve become terribly enlightened since we were cavemen, and yet we still have wars. The only real answer is to analyze the best way to fight those wars so WIN them so as to minimize the human cost. Defeating enemy propaganda is PART OF it. Don’t you get it?
Quit living in fantasy. It makes you look silly.
photos says:
Do u want the correct name and some information of Adnan Hajj Reuters photographer u can contact me on my mail photos1000000 -aatt- yahoo -ddoott- com
The Shape of Days says:
Adnan Hajj isn’t even trying anymore
Adnan Hajj isn’t a photojournalist. He’s not even a photographer. He’s just a damn liar.