Does Photoshop Leave Fingerprints?

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Name
Andrew
Edit My Images
Yes
I've often wondered if a photoshopped photograph contains a digital 'fingerprint'? I occasionally upload photographs of oil paintings to online competitions. I photoshop them, usually for lightness and I use the dust and scratches filter to reduce any specks of light. So nothing heavy. But could a competition organiser check the photograph for any serious manipulation (cheating)?
 
It could be checked, though if it detects difference in jpg compression and you use raw until your export I don’t know.. try it out? :)

 
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A lot of photography competitions include the clause that the judges may request the original unedited file, and then depending on the other rules regarding image manipulation, will make a judgement call on whether its within or exceeds what is considered acceptable.
 
I've often wondered if a photoshopped photograph contains a digital 'fingerprint'? I occasionally upload photographs of oil paintings to online competitions. I photoshop them, usually for lightness and I use the dust and scratches filter to reduce any specks of light. So nothing heavy. But could a competition organiser check the photograph for any serious manipulation (cheating)?


Yes, PS does leave a fingerprint. If you rename a copy of a photo that's been through PS to filename . txt and open it in a text reader, you'll see Photoshop somewhere near the beginning of the "document". Whether it leaves a trail of info as to exactly what's been done, I'm not sure. As andrewc says, some competitions ask for unedited files so they can see what's been done.
 
I've often wondered if a photoshopped photograph contains a digital 'fingerprint'? I occasionally upload photographs of oil paintings to online competitions. I photoshop them, usually for lightness and I use the dust and scratches filter to reduce any specks of light. So nothing heavy. But could a competition organiser check the photograph for any serious manipulation (cheating)?
Competition organisers usually make it part of the T&C's that they can demand that you send the original Raw file or for those who claim to be using JPEG the original JPEG and the frame each side. I did have a look at this issue once and it is easy to see where cloning has taken place. If the competitor will not supply these original images, they will be disqualified and, if found to be cheating, the patrons (not the organisers) may ban the competitor for a period or even life dependent on how serious the breach of rules. From what I can see, entering another person's image as your own is probably the most serious but removing a small distracting feature at the edge of an image may be in the minor infringement category. These restrictions will only apply in a few sections anyway (e.g. Nature and Travel). Removing dust and scratches is normally allowed anyway but best avoided as such PS filters tend to soften the image. Even these rules are more relaxed now with some nature competitions now allowing minor cloning to tidy a picture providing that it does not alter the basic truth of the image. I am not aware of a photography competition where photographing an oil painting would be acceptable. If you wish to compete the painting, you would enter a painting competition. If it is not your painting then you are showing the artists skills not your own.

Dave
 
I imagine the OP is uploading pictures of their own paintings to painting competitions?
The best advice would be to get as much right in camera as possible with good lighting, straight etc. then keep the editing to the absolute minimum.

As others have said you can look at the image file and work out if it's been through an editor, but if you have the original image and/or painting then I can't see a problem
A little retouching to make the image of the painting closer to the actual painting would seem reasonable. You'd need to check with the organisers to be sure.
 
It is normal for competition software to scan for a repeat image and warn the organiser. If you have been successful, you are not normally allowed to enter again in the same competition.

Dave
 
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