> Photo: You used to have high confidence that a picture shows who appears to be shown. Not 100%, sure, but it's high.
I don’t agree. Many important photos don’t show what we think they do.
The Soviet flag on The Reichstag. When it was taken and what it showed are different to the impression you get looking at the photo. It was taken after the event and the signs of looting were removed.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_a_Flag_over_the_Reic...
There are bound to be loads more, and the faking goes way back. The US Civil War has examples where bodies were dragged around and made more dramatic. Added cannon balls in Crimean War photos etc.
I don’t agree. Many important photos don’t show what we think they do.
The Soviet flag on The Reichstag. When it was taken and what it showed are different to the impression you get looking at the photo. It was taken after the event and the signs of looting were removed. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_a_Flag_over_the_Reic...
The flag raising on Iwo Jima was the second flag raised that day. It’s not quite the same once you know that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima
The famous ‘Falling Soldier’ photo from the Spanish Civil War is now thought to have been faked. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Falling_Soldier
There are bound to be loads more, and the faking goes way back. The US Civil War has examples where bodies were dragged around and made more dramatic. Added cannon balls in Crimean War photos etc.