Could someone teach Iran how to use Photoshop?

You’ve seen it all over the news – Iran has been testing long-range missiles with a death threat to Israel attached. After all, if it weren’t for those pesky “Zionists” and their American friends, Iran could finally enjoy world rule and power to the people – except Holocaust "myth" believers and infidels, who will die. And women, who will be silenced, beaten or jailed. And homosexuals, who will be hanged. Or really, anyone who isn’t part of the Revolutionary Guard. But instead of showing the world its superiority, the Guard embarrassed itself in front of the world when it was revealed that a photo taken of four missiles firing into the sky had been digitally altered. It looks like someone needs a few more lessons in Photoshop.

The doctored photo, seen above, was released by Sepah News, the propaganda machine… uh, media arm of the Revolutionary Guard. The truth is that one of the missiles didn’t fire (at least not at the time of the picture), but was later added to the photo and then sent to AP News, Reuters and major news outlets. Look for patterns in the smoke on the ground, similarities in the third and fourth missiles from the left and the weird smoke coming out of the third missile. Sepah News should have learned more about the clone tool because it wasn’t long before the photo’s inauthenticity was confirmed. The picture was immediately retracted from the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Palm Beach Post and other newspapers where the picture had already been published.

Above: cloned areas used to add a fourth missile to the picture

Above: major media outlets posted the picture before realizing it was altered

So I say to the Guard, was it really so important to have that fourth missile firing that you would risk worldwide embarrassment? Maybe so if the fourth was a dud and you wanted to cover that up. That would be pretty embarrassing as well. You guys are just having a bad day. But look at the bright side – at least now less people will take you seriously when you say things like “we will wipe Israel off the map!" I’m not so sure about Israel though. They might just decide to bomb the crap out of you. Feel free to respond to this blog with your thoughts, reasoning and insights. In the meantime, I have something to show you…

That’s right, I learned a lot from the Guard’s expertise in digital alteration – SO for fun, I took the original photo and decided to do some Photoshopping of my own! I gave myself 30 minutes and went to work! I figure if I can show Iran my vast talents (see below), they will spare me when that fourth missile is pointed at the US! If you think you can do better than I did (likely), send me your photoshopped Iran missile test photo to our Geocentric email or post it here. If I get some good ones, I’ll post them and you’ll be famous – and spared.


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