Jerry,

 While we are on the subject of untrustworthy photographers I'd like to
 check that you are not using two others that we have had trouble with.
 One is ***, who sold the fake fire pic in Guizhou Oct. 25, 2002. YOU already told me you aren't using him, but I'm just getting it in writing.  The other is ***, who sold the faked flood picture in Xian July 15, 2004. It wasn't sold to Eyepress, but I just want to be sure that he is not now selling to you. In both these cases AP said we would no longer buy from these guys. I'm just doublechecking to make sure neither has slipped through the cracks. If you are aware of either of these guys selling to any of the agencies we buy from please let me know.

 

Thanks,
Greg

 

Jerry,

Attached are two photos from *** in Huaibei. One was downloaded
from you on Nov 16, and the other from Feature China on Dec 12 or 13.
The exif info on the FC pic shows Dec 12. When asked the photographer
claimed that he had shot the second pic on 　Dec 12. While this is
possible (and I believed it at first) a closer look at the photos reveals some problems. Of course there is the same guy in the same clothes and shirtless, but if you blow up both pix and go to the very bottom of the frame (and lighten one of the photos) you can also see that every rock and pebble on the ground is in the same location, including a tray with a rock in it at right. It is highly unlikely that none of these things moved in almost a month.

I'll forward another email with more photos from this guy.

Greg

 

 

Jerry,

Here are two more photos from *** that were submitted to Feature
China. They show a woman in a shoe store, the first (108403) of which
was taken on Nov 22 (you also have one on your website from that shoot as well). The second pic (109706) he claims was taken Dec 11. The exif info on the photo shows Dec 11. However in the photos you can see the same woman holding the same boot. On the wall all the shoes and boots are in exactly the same location. In the background you can see a bottle of water and some trash in exactly the same location. I think it is
impossible for all these things to remain unchanged for three weeks or
so. It's clear they were taken on the same day and he just changed the
exif info.

I don't want to use this guy again. It's not to punish him - it's simply
because he is too much of a risk for us. If the second steel photo had
moved on the wire I'm sure someone would have noticed and this would
have turned into a very damaging incident for AP.

Likewise, if one of his pictures were to be distributed by Eyepress and
moved by AP and was later found to have had the date falsified then it
would be extremely damaging to Eyepress as well.

Let me know what you think.

Regards,