Need your expert help on a PhotoShop related question ...

[asleap]

Hello everyone and thanks for reading, I'll try to be brief.

Scenario: Joe blow is selling a putter, advertised on the internet for sale with attached pictures.

I want to ensure that he actually has possession of said putter and is not just posting pics taken from the internet.

So I'm going to request he post another picture of the putter to prove he has it in hand.

I had asked for a picture with a 3"x5" card with today's date on it, it was posted, but I later discovered the card with the date had been photoshopped into the picture --- it was a fraud/scam.

So my question to you PS experts ... gurus:

In asking for a proof of possession picture, what request(s) can I make of a seller to submit/post that will be most difficult or impossible to fake/photoshop???

Take/post a picture with a ribbon tied around the putter head?
Take/post a picture of the putter from a totally different angle?
Take/post a picture of the putter with a piece of Scotch tape across the face with the word "legit" written on the tape with a Sharpie?

Another suggestion?

Let me know if I'm not being clear with my question, thanks.

 

[smalltrees]

the images posted have had the exif data stripped away...
that would be one way of knowing the exact time/date the images were taken...
and depending on the camera, the GPS data...

 

[asleap]

the images posted have had the exif data stripped away...
that would be one way of knowing the exact time/date the images were taken...
and depending on the camera, the GPS data...

Thanks. I need a strictly visual resolution that your average Joe could request & see.

 

[Steve]

I would think a picture with a ribbon around the shaft shot similar to pic 3 with the shadow on the ground.
Or a piece of masking tape with legit on it folded into the 90° angle on pic 3 with the ends of the tape over lapping the head, and the shadow on the ground

Then post it here.

Just remember good Photoshoper can fake almost anything.

 

[smalltrees]

well... if he is using a digital camera, that data would be there...
unless... they "chose" to remove it...
any image can be built/rebuilt to your specific requests, using PS...
cannot alter raw exif data info, only remove it...

just giving you an option, to verify the image...

 

[asleap]

...Then post it here...

Those are just example pics ... I don't have that putter in hand. They might be indoor or out.

...Then post it hereJust remember good Photoshoper can fake almost anything.

Yeah, just looking for something to make it hardest to fake.

 

[Steve]

I know they're samples but I assume that is the putter you're buying.
When he sends the picture post it here and we'll take a look at it before you buy.

Just remember, No Guarantees That We're Right!!! but we'll give you opinions based on experience.
Also ask him for the full size image out of the camera 3-4MB, whatever it is.

 

[iDad]

personally if it is a questionable scenario, I'd walk away before spending a dime

pretty good ad going for the clubs though lol

 

[asleap]

I'm not making myself clear.

This is not a one time deal -- I'm looking for a universal answer that everyone can use.

I'm asking if you PhotoShop experts can manipulate the provided images to fake a ribbon tied around the head of the putter -- can you trick me with that?

Or can you photoshop one of the provided pictures to show the putter from a different angle ... or with a piece of scotch tape with lettering on it?

The gist of the question is: what can easily be done with the actual putter in hand that can't be done with only those pictures + PhotoShop?

There has to be a common sense answer ... just not my field.

 

[smalltrees]

again...
with a simple exif data viewer, you can tell when the image was taken, which camera... how it was processed...
and if it went through PS, and the number of history states...

if you get an image, with no exif data... the chances are very good, that someone wanted it not to be there...
you "must choose" to remove the data... if it is gone... they are hiding their tracks...

digital forensics my friend...

 

[mom]

Tell him to get a friend to take a picture of him holding the putter with his thumb and index finger on his right hand while standing on his left foot while doing a peace sign but pointing those fingers down.

The general idea is - if it is hard to find a source image on the internet of what you are asking then it gets next to impossible for him to fake it.

 

[MikeyC]

Smalltrees you do know that exif data can be modified right. There is no real answer to the question if they are using photoshop. You can fake just about anything. The most you can do is look at the pixels of the image and see if they match. different resolution images have different number of pixels. As well as the shadows.

What you asked in having him post a new picture is about all you can do. If they look the same chances are it was faked.

 

[smalltrees]

yes... of course... (not... my first rodeo... )
and you can tell when things have been randomly changed... if... you know and understand exif data...

but... we are talking about common "Joe" on eBay... wherever...
are they going to jump through those hoops, to sell a frickin putter...
spare me... please...

if... I was the seller, and someone asked me to take a photo of it, with pink ribbon...
or to jump through hoops, to prove my product was valid...
I would find another buyer...
of course, my request to prove their funds are valid, might just be as demanding...

my suggestion of the exif data would work 99.999% of the time...
average "Joe" has no idea what exif data is...

 

[Steve]

I think I do understand the question asleap.

The gist of the question is: what can easily be done with the actual putter in hand that can't be done with only those pictures + PhotoShop?

Nothing, you can do, easy or hard with the club in hand, can't be done in PS by an experience PS user but the examples I gave you IMHO would be very difficult for a novice or mid level user to duplicate.

 

[iDad]

lol is this still happening?.......

 

[Petit Photoshopper]

aw, that's a good point! We can Photoshop anything! Okay, and if he's really smart he'd just photograph a ribbon in similar lighting conditions, wrapped around something of a similar shape, and then composite in.

You'd want to have as much interaction with the object as possible. I think something like a fish net stocking wrapped around it would be good. That would be really painstaking to do PS. Also, have him take A LOT of photos with it (10?). It won't be worth the time for him if he has to photoshop 10 photos. If he's a faker he'd just move on to someone else who's more gullible. (or if he's hiring a PS artist it wouldn't be worth his money)

And yes, posting it on this site for our eyes would be a good way to double check.

 

[Petit Photoshopper]

Also, I'd try to have him take photos from many various perspectives. The more severe the perspective, the harder to photoshop realistically. For example in the case of the gold club, ask him to take some pictures with ribbon applied (or fishnet stocking as I suggest), and shoot with the head of the club very close to the camera, and the handle far away. If he's PS-ing a fishnet stocking on that club he'll be VERY annoyed... cheers!

 

[iDad]

Total waste of time as I said earlier if in doubt why even bother?
clubs are a dime a dozen if you look hard enough