Using Tiny Children as an Optical Illusion in Product Photography

We’ve all heard of trickery that goes into many kinds of photography to make something look more appealing to consumers, whether it’s a Big Mac at McDonalds or the swimming pool at a motel. Sometimes the discrepancy isn’t worth complaining about, but this wasn’t the case for David Ng (currently a guest blogger over at Boing Boing) when he purchased the Banzai Wild Waves Water Park. He took a photograph of the box art and then a photograph of his two children standing next to the actual inflatable water slide.

What we learn is that the product photographer used tiny children when photographing the slide. Just kidding. Unless the photog actually hired six miniature-yet-perfectly-proportional children as models, this is a pretty nasty case of dishonest photo-manipulation.

Reviewers on Amazon agree, giving the product two out of five stars. Here’s a sample comment:

It is a tiny piece of junk. I know a lot of things are mildly digitally enhanced these days but I have studied the picture and there is just NO way that is the product. I mean I dont know anything about doctoring photos but it is so grossly obvious in this case even a kid could tell. My 3 yr old can barely slide down b/c the other end of the pool is in the way.

At least the box says “product may not be as appears on image”.

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