Let's Investigate: Forensic Iconology
Channel: A Fascinating Chap
Date: 23/08/2022

Forensic Iconology is the process of scientifically examining an image (still or video) to determine if it has been altered and to obtain behavioral and substantive evidence from visual sources. This lab will present a series of images. Follow the instructions in each question to determine the appropriate answers.
You can use https://29a.ch/photo-forensics/#forensic-magnifier or any other tool you like for this.

Your job in this scenario:
No forensic report is necessary for this lab. Just submit a report answering the following questions but be sure to provide visual evidence to support your claim when necessary. For example, if you claim an image is fake because of ELA, upload a screenshot of your evidence of this analysis. If you believe an image is altered, try to find the original:
1. Is this image faked?
2. Is this image faked?
3. Given image 3, does this image support the argument in the accompanying post?
4. This image has been altered. In what way, and is there a way we can determine this aside from visual inspection?
a. What program was used to perform the alteration?
5. The message in this image is obscured with a swirl, not unlike “Swirly Face.” This (and other) methods of obfuscation are common, but reversible with appropriate skill. What is the message hidden here?
6. Which, if any, of these images are legitimate?
7. In our day and age, nearly every image we are presented with is altered in some way. Models are airbrushed, advertisements substitute glue for milk because it appears more photogenic, movies contain CGI. Everything is packaged for the best presentation and our immediate consumption. For this reason, not all alterations to an image are an attempt to spoil evidence, per se. These three images are from news publications.
a. Evaluate each picture. Can you see any alterations? In what ways were they altered? Are any of these alterations intended to augment the narrative the image tells, or just make them more aesthetically pleasing?
8. Again, we have a post on social media. We have three images supposedly of the event. Are any of them “camera original”?
a. Can you identify the photographer?
9. Here we have an image of a girl making a funny face. What kind of camera took this picture?
a. If it was altered – with what, and how?
10. There are ten things to find in this picture.
a. Find 7 alterations.
b. Find 1 hidden message.
c. Find where the picture was taken. Then find where the picture was really taken.