Reuters Distorts Truth: Gray Davis Photo

OK, who can spot the problem with this Reuters wire photo? The caption reads: "California Governor Gray Davis (R) listens at a rally to encourage people to vote in Oakland, California, October 4, 2003. Davis faces a recall election October 7. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson."

But my little pea brain cant quit grasp it, Look how perfectly framed this picture is?



thanks for the post although this is very disappointing, I somewhat respected Reuters.

Here's the e-mail I sent to Reuters. You can also send comments to editor@reuters.com with your concerns about this photo.

Dear Editor:

Yahoo! News carried one of your wire photos from Lucy Nicholson, and I'm attaching the Yahoo! version of the photo which, presumably, is the same as yours.

Photojournalists like Lucy have an important role to play in shaping perceptions of the news and in accurately reflecting real world events. It appears from the photo that the sign held by the spectator extends to the left of the frame. I suspect the sign says "NO RECALL," changing the whole meaning of what appears in the photo.

Does Reuters have any policy for photographs of campaign events such as this one? Is it policy to crop a background sign to change its meaning?

Unfortunately the photo caption Yahoo! provides isn't helpful in explaining what the sign might say:

"California Governor Gray Davis (R) listens at a rally to encourage people to vote in Oakland, California, October 4, 2003. Davis faces a recall election October 7. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson."

Encourage people to vote *how*? To vote NO?

Thanks for examining this issue. Hopefully you can share these thoughts with Lucy.

Timothy F. Sipples
Chicago, Illinois

incredibly BIG hands!