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

[Ivygreen]

I don't read the Atlantic monthly, did they use her photos? If they did, she should be payed, childish or not.

[ezbreezer]

I guess they couldn't get Bob Guccione to photograph him through silk.

[manndan]

That's funny.

[ErnestineBass]

You'd have to smear Vaseline on the lens to make McCain look good.

(and save the rest of the jar for your nether regions if he gets elected...)

heh heh

[hoopesaz]

Lack of integrity simply isn't funny. Remember, that the thrust of attacks against McCain these days, and rightly so.

[ThinkCreeps]

And that was `barely airbrushed', which means he looks scarier in the flesh.

[mafina]

ROFLMAO, Could you imagine.

[wndrwrthg]

death warmed over.

[LondonTownNY]

Jill Greenburg is my hero. Sorry to disagree. When you are invited into Satan's den to shoot the demon himself, then if you can capture the true essence of the beast than you must.

[koijaicat]

It's a lousy picture--so what. Let's talk about the issues...Oh, I forgot. McCain's campaign advisor stated that "This election is not about the issues." Considering the topic of this conversation, I'd say not.

[Kenji]

Anyway, who cares about what the photographer said afterward. It only matters whether they used the pics or not -- and even then not all that much.

[PuppaX]

What happened to needing to keep your sense of humor?

[ErnestineBass]

BINGO!!! Lmao

[JiminNC]

Looks pretty natural to me.

[Kwaayesnama]

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John McCain’s long touted plan for social security is to privatize it. Using the same Wall Street companies that are going under. Do you trust your future to Wall Street! Do you trust your future to John McCain and the lobbyists that are advising him and running his campaign? Here is a list of all of his major campaign workers and the special interests they represent.

http://mccainsource.com/corruption?id=0006

[debrouillard]

Excuse me,am I missing something here?

McCain doesnt apologize for lying about Obama.
Palin unlawfully took away another man's livelihood and is refusing to answer to a lawsuit,but they can find time to sue someone for pictures taken? By the way,what do they think McCain looks like in real life?

Following all melanoma,he now looks like Frankenstein,the picture did not change him at all.

Any way ,was there a lawsuit when Obama's photos were darkened?

If there was to be a lawsuit against her,what would the charge be,that she didnt use brush on the picture and presented the picture as it is in its originality?

[Dangler]

That's not cool. Really. Cruelty is not the answer.

[Okieborn]

Come on Johnnie Mccain your always saying everyone should take a joke !!
Well Sir It is YOUR TURN !! KEEP ON SMILEN MR. MCCAIN !!! LOL !!!

[damiena]

this isn't about mccain,it's about her being unprofessional

[ricitizen]

Hear Joe Biden Today. Great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ImuE0IVamk

[Triangle1]

Thousands of dollars in free publicity? Priceless. She shouldn't care if she doesn't get paid for this photo. She's now a huge star in the world of photography. Her business will double immediately. How tragic. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[MadFae]

That's really not very professional. There's a certain trust put in a photographer by their subject. This crossed that line. As much as I'd love John McCain to be seen for what he is, lying to him about the photographic process is not the way to do it. There are plenty of candid photos that do the job just fine without the deception involved here.