Photographer Run Amok Won't Be Paid By Atlantic

A photographer who bragged about capturing John McCain in an unflattering light, and who duped the presidential candidate into posing for an even less flattering picture will not be paid for her photo, and may find herself the subject of a lawsuit, according to reports.

Jill Greenberg, whose work can be seen online at her site -- somewhat appropriately named "Manipulator" -- originally shot the cover image for Atlantic scribe Jeffrey Goldberg's October cover story, "The Wars Of John McCain." The New York Post describes how the session went down:

Greenberg, known for her heavily retouched pics of apes and babies, boasted to Photo District News that she submitted photos of the Arizona senator to the mag while barely airbrushing them.

"I left his eyes red and his skin looking bad," she boasted.

Greenberg also crowed that she had tricked McCain into standing over a strobe light placed on the floor -- turning the septuagenarian's face into a horror show of shadows.

Asking McCain to "please come over here" for a final shot, Greenberg pretended to be using a standard modeling light.

The resulting photos depict McCain as devilish, with bulging brows and washed-out skin.

"He had no idea he was being lit from below," Greenberg said, adding that none of his entourage picked up on the light switch either. "I guess they're not very sophisticated," she said.

According to the Post, Atlantic editor James Bennet was "appalled" at Greenberg's antics, saying, "Her behavior is outrageous. Incredibly unprofessional."

And, indeed, it is! But Goldberg himself says it best, "Suffice it to say that her 'art' is juvenile, and on occasion repulsive. This is not the issue, of course; the issue is that she betrayed this magazine, and disgraced her profession."

Bennet, who told Fox News that Greenberg "violated the terms of our agreement with her," is drafting a letter of apology to McCain.

NOTE: As has been pointed out to me, drilling down into Greeberg's site will unearth several photo renderings of John McCain that at least one Obama supporter, in an email to me, describes as "childish." It's only too true that the existence of these images is a testament to the photographer's juvenile sensibilities, but they seem to be a matter distinct from the concerns that led the Atlantic to take the actions they have taken.

Comments

[babs101]

Good job! He should appear as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside.

[ZekeBundren]

The Atlantic will pay for the photo.

The question is will they pay a straight fee, or will they pay lawyers as well.

Their call. But they will pay the lady.

[eden4barack08]

I smell a rat here after seeing the editor on the news. This was a gimmick to create publicity and sell more copies. ;)

[YunekFlava]

Uh yeah! They knew who she was, and with all the photographers in the world, they called her. Yeah, right! Please!!!

[laurelaille]

as far as know, being in the newsbusiness, an editor is the utlimate responsible for choosing and running a picture, so please, if the Atlantic editors weren't pleased with the results of the photographers, they could have chosen to just not publish them. Sorry, too easy to blame it on her.

[Grunty1]

Probably. McCain probably agreed to it so he can have another excuse to continue the most vile campaign in US history.

[YunekFlava]

"Mommy, there is a big bad monster on my wall !!!!!!!!!

[gdaerin]

How vain is McCain that he wants to be airbrushed like a model?

[gdaerin]

she is my new hero!

I think the POW should refuse to be airbrushed, what does he have to hide? Doesn't he want to show off his scars of age?

[jcwtts1]

Her photos look great. I mean if that is what McCain looks like than that is what he looks like. Seriously she is pretty amazing, which I guess is why she told Atlantic to kiss off.

J

[DarkWitch]

Dude, he looks like Bella Lugosi.

Just sayin'...

[Grunty1]

If they used it on the cover of the final print and they don't pay her, they will be paying a great deal MORE to her instead. Cya in court.

[YunekFlava]

She'll be a folk hero, for sure.

[ProFromOre]

Has anyone read the original article posted at Photo District News:

http://www.pdnpulse.com/2008/09/how-jill-greenb.html

Go do it and you will get your eyes opened. This is a smear against the photog and is disgusting. Jason Linkins you are a poor excuse for a journalist. This is so completely biased.

You quote the NY Post and FAUX News, and then you portray the brown boxed area as if it from PDN while it's a quote it's an article from the Post that is a distortion of the PDN article.

This article is disgusting and I am one writing the editor of HP to bring it to her attention. THIS IS 'YELLOW' JOURNALISM AT IT"S DEFINITION.

This is disgusting. The Atlantic CAN'T SUE ANYBODY. This is from the PDN article:

The Atlantic didn’t select the diabolical looking McCain for its cover.

Greenberg is hoping to license that image to some other magazine (she negotiated a two-week embargo with The Atlantic so she could re-license images from the shoot before the election).

From the Post:
"We stand by the picture we are running on our cover," said Atlantic editor James Bennet. "We feel it's a respectful portrait. We hope we'll be judged by that picture."

Linkins left both out - kinda changes the article, eh?

[YunekFlava]

Chill out man!! Do you know how many versions there are out there? So you think you've bested Jason. Grow a pair, or I will lend you Hillary's.

[ProFromOre]

versions of what? version of the original article? there's one. There's a lot of tripe based up on the sensationalized NY Post article, but the Post usually just makes up what they print, anyway, it's easier than doing research.

Bested Linkins? The point was the piece of crap Linkins wrote is slanted, inaccurate and unworthy of the effing National Enquirer.

AND what the hell does my challenge Linkins journalistic skills or integrity have to do with my 'having a pair'. What, if I were more masculine or macho, l would be MORE inclined to just accept a piece of crap like this masquerading as journalism?

Your logic is about as poor as your simile.

[ObamaEdwards]

The question that comes to mind after a quick scan of her site is: If they didn't want her to do what she does, why did they hire her in the first place? She manipulates images for odd and comedic effect. That is what she does. They hired her. Their mistake, not hers.

[Grunty1]

Very good question at that.

[ProFromOre]

yep, and if you read the FULL quotes of the Atlantic editor, you'll find he says they stand behind the pictures they printed. No where have I found anything about the mag considering not paying her or suing her. It's seems Mr Linkins cherry picked some suspect quotes from several different op-eds and shaky publications and then decided to 'pump up' the believability factor by simply increasing the O'Reilly Factor of the article.

[ProFromOre]

Oh, I forgot, on top of that the Atlantic negotiated a two-week agreement with the photographer giving her the rights to sell the other photos. They knew what she was about, knew what she was going to do and then back-pedaled when someone complained.

Cowards, they are

[nellie]

Personally, I think the photo on her home page is a great photo. The lighting is strong, the composition is excellent. But it doesn't look like McCain. I'm not sure I would have realized who it was if I hadn't known already. He looks a little like an eagle.

[dve2z]

I think more than anything Jill just expressed her feelings.

This is a questionable stunt, but if McCain is elected, these photos will resurface and oh, boy, everybody will realize, wasn't she try to send a message?

[pupbayer]

Uh, I think everyone knows she was trying to send a message. That's what got her into trouble.

[DarkWitch]

At that point, everyone will finally GET the message.

But then it will be too late.

[Tulka2]

As if. As if it takes special treatment to make McCain's true nature shine through. That's the subtext here.

[lezlie]

Maybe she just felt, as do many of us who have followed Mr. McCain's career, that his image had been airbrushed for far too long, in the metaphorical sense, by the media. Yes, it was a tad rebellious, but do I relate to the impulse? ...sure I do!