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

[mollysgran]

The cover photo looks EXACTLY like him --- maybe that is why he doesn't like it.

[dengal]

he usually looks embalmed....over made up and pastey. I appreciate an honest photo

[suigeneris]

why are we publicizing this? this can only make McCain look good. bury it, fools.

[bibimimi]

He looks like really scary waxed fruit.

[123dee]

that's funny, you're right

[keyrr]

Why did they even use the pics- there editors!
Its obvious that the pics are sucky but the the object of the pics are still questionable too!

[Yermammy]

That's the way he looks to me in the best of light. All that's missing is a flag and a cross.

[hopefulinpa]

But that is what he looks like.. why airbrush it?

[fuzzynormal]

As someone who works in media production, I'm appalled too.

I don't plan on voting for McCain, but my god, what a horrible thing to do. Her "art" has always been a joke, just simple HDR imaging that anyone can learn in an afternoon. Regardless, to do this to McCain is unforgivable.

For those of you that aren't sophisticated in the craft of photography, it's really easy, once you know how, to manipulate light before the post process to create emotional images. Unless she was on task from the editor to do so, she should be ashamed and she should be rightly scorned.

God, really, what an ass. Moreover, how does this help anyone on either side, it's just gutter behavior.

[Grunty1]

"Her "art" has always been a joke"

Then why did they hire her for the job?

[honeydiva]

why does she have to doctor his ugly "a" picture?

[ErnestineBass]

Ms. Greenberg...you're no Leni Reifenstahl.

(Thank heavens!)

heh heh

[Dupree]

As much as I despised the tactics of the McCain/Palin saga...I can not in good conscience agree with this 'trickery" of image the photographer employed. I long for a world that would do unto to others as we would have them do unto us. I did not appreciate the photographers deliberately seeking to make Obama look darker for it betrayed a deeper mentality that would appeal to a menacing side of the reason why they felt compell to portray him darker. And I do not appreciate this photographer intent either. This is an election that should be decided on issues and truths ...not spin or imagery. It does nothing to advance us as a country when any of us...media, citizens, photographers resorts to tactics that insults all of our dignity and our intelligence...we must rise above the beggarly elements and come up for air so that we can think beyond the superficial and protect ourselves from being paralyzed as stupid.

[northcan]

I agree totally; Obama is better than that. After all, it was done to him in the primary's and it isn't a good feeling. Shameful

[eden4barack08]

HUH?? WTF does Obama have to do with it???

[argent1]

As a photo-journalist of the past it worries me that politicians are deliberately airbrushed (photoshopped). That should only be reserved for celebrities and models. And McCain has defined his anti-celebrity status.
One of my favorite movie scenes is the closeups of Ashcroft in Farhenheit 911 with all that bad make-up, and the scenes of Wolfowitz. The vanity of politicians is in their own head and should not be part of public concern on what they should look like.
Greenburg as a photographer is doing boring photo 101 but still should get paid -- because Atlantic Monthly is responsible for running the photo to begin with. With a shoot like that you would shoot as many shots as you could (these days hundreds or a thousand shots). Gone are the days (pre 35mm) when a great photographer on location only had a few sheets of film on them.

[Tropiholic]

He's an unattractive man both outside and inside

[lbrillante]

The question on the cover 'Why is War His Answer'...um, I know the answer to that one! 'Because he was a POW!!

Seriously if they use the photo they have to pay her. If they reject the photo then fine, don't pay her.

[northcan]

He thinks War is the answer because that is the culture of the Republican Party and with his father's father...............the only thing that can boost his hero status and give him honor. Witch is bull, by the way. If he only knew how many ways you can be a hero without lifting a gun and killing someone. Wouldn't that be different. Honor is often mistaken for allegiance, but they are not similar in any way. McCain actually loves the idea of war, enemies, combatants, .....he's like a little kid with all his toy soldiers lined up against the other side. He definitely is hungry for war......and he's frightening.

[kellygrrrl]

what about all the "doctoring" Faux News and others have done to 0bama's image?

haven't heard any outcry on that issue.

If Faux news is allowed to do it -- all's fair.

Anything Goes -- isn't that what a rep of McCainCampaign said just last week?