Just how wide spread is photo shopping\faking in the field of WW II German photograph collecting?

Just how wide spread is photo shopping\faking in the field of WW II German photograph collecting?

 

I've been using Photoshop since it came out and I've sold a lot of WWII German photos, and for the money, I don't think I could justify the time needed to modify one in Photoshop, to say nothing of trying to imitate vintage photo paper and aging.

 

But all other TR artifacts seem to have ben faked, so I'm sure someone must have done photos, most likely - I'd think - to make multiple prints from original negatives and pass them off as one-of-a-kind (anything printed from the original negative is an "original" print but not a period print.) There are also copies made from original paper prints that were photographed with a film camera and the negative used to make numerous second-generation (or worse) prints. Unlike those made from original negatives, these copies-of-a-copy usually are less sharp, lost detail in the brightest and darkest areas and lost overall sharpness

 

In the 40's, 50's and even into the 70's home darkrooms made this kind of copying relatively easy but these days it'd be a lot of expense getting the right photographic film, paper, processing chemicals, enlarger, etc. (plus a film camera) and - again - I don't there's much you could create that has enough value to make it worth it.

Photoshopping isn't the problem, it's photos taken of reenactors and printed on vintage unused paper stock...and it happens A LOT. Especially with desirable subjects (SS, Grossdeutschland, FJ, etc)

I have recently been sent scans of some SS portraits. The portraits show 'Extremely' rare insignia being worn. Leading experts in the field don't believe the portraits are original due to the units involved.

 

Anything is possible, but the possibility of these portraits bring original is extremely small.

Photoshopping isn't the problem, it's photos taken of reenactors and printed on vintage unused paper stock...and it happens A LOT. Especially with desirable subjects (SS, Grossdeutschland, FJ, etc)

 

Never knew - but not surprised. I guess not everyone got rid of their darkroom when the world went digital.

Yes Reenactors are used to make fake photos but unless those guys are very good they can be spotted. Hard to replicate that 1944-45 haggard, hungry look. What I see that is scary is copied photos of desirable content being printed onto vintage paper. Hard to tell in hand until you scan at higher resolution. then you can see that it is printed.

 

Mike

There is faking of postcards on NOS paper and this has been around for some time. Things such as Sanke cards for WWI Pour Le Merit winners, cards for KC winners, SS subjects, etc. Postcard collecting is a widespread hobby in Germany so fakes of these photos show up at flea markets.

Learn the period back marks. Agfa is still in business, and a ton of reenactor fakes are made on 1950s old stock paper, which had a different back mark than wartime.

 

http://lwcollectibles.blogspot.com/2007/09/agfa-photopaper.html

Here is a reenactor photo that was made to look like a period photo. One of my Early SoS buys. Kept it to remind me to always be aware.

 

Mike

A couple more reenactor fakes...

 

 

 

Photoshop taken to the extreme:

 

If you think this is bad, read the "historic" explanation on:

 

https://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11812

 

 

I've actually had my eye on this subject with regards to photos from the Vietnam War.

 

For that period, it is not so much about Photo Shopped pictures, but reprints. Some of it has been pretty blatant, so called "original" photos that have been copied from books and other publications. Others are news archive photos that are reprinted or copied to a CD without attribution.

 

Some sources offer reprints and identify them as such, printed on quality paper and large enough for framing and display.

 

But I've seen and even bought some off of eBay that were printed onto modern paper stock, and then smeared with some kind of staining agent to make them look old. On one set, they even had those markings on the back to show when they were printed. Worse still one set had a date code electronically printed on the face of them, such as you will see from modern digital cameras.

 

After printing such a set I wrote back to the Seller in Vietnam to ask him to stop aging them with what ever nasty stuff he was using. I told him would be happy to buy his photos as reprints, but that he wasn't fooling anybody.

Here is a reenactor photo that was made to look like a period photo. One of my Early SoS buys. Kept it to remind me to always be aware.

 

Mike

 

Nice example. As you noted in your previous post, the fault in this photo is that every thing looks so squeaky clean. Few reenactors want to rip up or dirty up their uniforms and gear, original or reproduction. Even the truck in this looks too clean.

 

I feel bad when reenactors put photos of themselves on our Forums and ask "What do you think of my impression?" My first thought is that you have come straight from the unit supply sergeant and drawn completely new equipment. Sometimes the reenactors will go without shaving or otherwise dirty themselves up, but their uniforms and gear still looks like it was made yesterday.

Sometimes the reenactors will go without shaving or otherwise dirty themselves up, but their uniforms and gear still looks like it was made yesterday.

 

Also look at the sharpness and detail on some of those posted above: it looks like those "Germans" carried top of the line Leicas for the personal snapshots.

great topic. Caveat Emptor- I'd say, assume anything worth more than a few cents can be and is faked. Same goes for a lot of those Eisenhower letters floating around on ebay...old paper can be put into a printer fairly easily..you gotta really be careful and use the golden rule, if it's too good to be true....

Here's a new seller I believe is selling all reprints... https://www.ebay.com/usr/serina-81

 

None of the rears are marked, and often desirable content. He started off with simple stuff that would be easy to blend in, but last week make the critical mistake of posting a VERY well known photo of a pretty girl with braids wearing her SS boyfriend's uniform.

Here's a new seller I believe is selling all reprints... https://www.ebay.com/usr/serina-81

 

None of the rears are marked, and often desirable content. He started off with simple stuff that would be easy to blend in, but last week make the critical mistake of posting a VERY well known photo of a pretty girl with braids wearing her SS boyfriend's uniform.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

I also have seen photos printed on period paper. when the photo is scanned you can see a grid like pattern. Looks good untill you scan it.

 

Mike