It was created by artist Shepard Fairey.

Later, somebody made an image of Ron Paul in the same style. And the meme went viral.

Then somebody came up with a website where you can create the same kind of image online from your own digital photos.

Creating an Obama-style image with Obamicon.me

You can create a basic image without an account.

Just go to obamicon.me and click Get Started.

Obamicon.me prompts you to use a webcam or upload a photo.

Once you’ve uploaded a photo, you click to define the head. Click all around and then back to the starting point, and then click Done:

Obamicon.me then creates the image. You can customize various parameters (including the caption) and save the image:

To save the image for public display at Obamicon.me, you have to agree to its terms and create an account.

Obamicon.me has now also branched out into other kinds of so-called “web icons” and also offers green and white icons as well as for supporting Iranian demonstrators.

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That’s pretty amazing, given that the New York Times claims to be the “newspaper of record.” Anyway, Digitivity doesn’t normally cover the Hollywood beat, but digital alteration of photographs, especially by news organizations, does fall with its purview.

Readers are responding to Horyn in her blog post on the New York Times. Apparently, the story of the resizing was broken by Gothamist, a New York-oriented blog.

Digitivity has sent an interview request to the New York Times. Below are the interview questions:

Interview (request) with Cathy Horyn regarding Christina Hendricks photo

(Addressed to Cathy Horyn)

I’m following up on a story which has gone viral regarding the resizing of the Christina Hendricks photo in your article yesterday. I wanted to give you a chance to set the record straight with a short interview.

As you’re probably aware, the photo of actress Christina Hendricks used in your article “Further Reflections on a Golden I,” (in which Hendricks was called a “big girl”) was resized to be wider than the original photo. The original photo at Getty Images (#95834707)

Original on the left, NY Times version on the right:

Christina Hendricks Golden Globes NY Times Digital Alteration

As you can see, there is quite a difference in Ms. Hendricks width between the two photos.

• Were you aware at the time of publication that the photo was doctored?
• Was the article (including photograph) approved by an editor, and if so, by whom?
• Do you know who altered the photo (if it was not you)?
• From whom did you receive the photo?
• Was either Getty or Jason Merritt (Getty photographer) notified that the image was being widened?
• Does the New York Times’ agreement with Getty allow for digital alteration (and specifically widening) of Getty photographs?
• Does the New York Times have a policy on alteration of digital photographs?
• Does your article run afoul of that policy?
• If so, is the New York Times planning to release a statement regarding the incident?
• Is the New York Times planning to apologize to Christina Hendricks? In writing? In the newspaper? Online? By telephone?
• Will you also apologize separately?

Resources

Cathy Horyn’s article on Christina Hendricks

Gothamist exposes Cathy Horyn

Cathy Horyn at BryanBoy blog

Cathy Horyn’s bio at the New York Times

Get Your Fashion blog post on Cathy Horyn/Christina Hendricks

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Since it’s been a while since he’s released a YouTube video, government agencies have no idea what the terrorist mastermind looks like anymore. At the end of their rope, the FBI hit on using Google Images to brainstorm Osama bin Laden’s facial features.

The Times of London is reporting that the FBI used a photo of leftist Spanish politician Gaspar Llamazares, who incidentally is a member of the Communist Party of Spain and a critic of the war.

The resemblance between the FBI representation of Osama bin Laden and Gaspar Llamazares is uncanny.

Osama bin Laden morphs into Gaspar Llamazares, or vice versa

Gaspar Llamazares Osama bin Laden FBI Morph

What it looks like is simply that the FBI took to morphing Osama bin Laden’s  and Gaspar Llamazares’ photos,  and then added some more beard.

What I’d like to know is why the FBI thought bin Laden would grow chubby cheeks in his old age. Most older people get slimmer. Bin Laden was skinny anyways due to his diabetes and other health problems.

Meanwhile Gaspar Llamazares isn’t standing still. Llamazares is offended the FBI used his visage. Obviously having his photo posted at airports around the world won’t exactly make air travel easy for him or for Spaniards who share facial features with him.

It would be nice to know if the FBI plans to continue on taking random images from Google Images or Flickr and making terror alerts out of them.

Resources

Slashdot discussion
Times of London story
Yahoo
Daily Mail
Full Channel

Blogs covering the FBI/Osama bin Laden/Gaspar Llamazares debacle include
Black Weta, Chatta Box, and Left to Chance.

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