- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,839
A few thoughts:
Laurent Ballesta, the fellow credited with taking the shot, seems to be a person in good standing, with many photo and documentary credits. I've looked through some of his online galleries and can find no other instances where the squid photo is displayed. If he were serious about the whole thing, you'd expect it be featured, with bells on.
I also can't find but one active link to the original Geo article. If this were a real attempt at promulgating a hoax, it would have gotten a lot more play, certainly in the cryptozoological press.
The evident digital manipulation is pretty crude. A modern hoaxer worth their salt could have produced an image that was far more slick.
And then, there's the date of publication: April, 2004.
I don't think this was malign hoax perpetrated by a repsected diver in a repectable nature magazine. I think it was an April Fool's Day joke.
Clem
Laurent Ballesta, the fellow credited with taking the shot, seems to be a person in good standing, with many photo and documentary credits. I've looked through some of his online galleries and can find no other instances where the squid photo is displayed. If he were serious about the whole thing, you'd expect it be featured, with bells on.
I also can't find but one active link to the original Geo article. If this were a real attempt at promulgating a hoax, it would have gotten a lot more play, certainly in the cryptozoological press.
The evident digital manipulation is pretty crude. A modern hoaxer worth their salt could have produced an image that was far more slick.
And then, there's the date of publication: April, 2004.
I don't think this was malign hoax perpetrated by a repsected diver in a repectable nature magazine. I think it was an April Fool's Day joke.
Clem