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The Castle Island from Pinterest

3/30/2013

16 Comments

 
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The supposed Castle Island in Dublin, Ireland is an image that is often pinned and repinned on Pinterest. It is making the rounds again.
I find it disappointing that so many people pin and repin fake images on Pinterest with statements that they hope to visit there someday.  The truth is that they will never be able to visit it because it does not really exist.  Someone created this image for a contest on www.worth1000.com. So perhaps if they see the two images that were combined to create the one that is misrepresented as a castle in Ireland, then they might at least realize that they cannot visit this location and see a castle atop a rock pillar in Ireland.
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Lichtenstein castle in Baden-Württemberg, Germany was originally built in 1200 but has been destroyed twice.  Today it stands atop a rocky crag overlooking the Echaz Valley.  The current castle was built in 1840-1842.  The castle and the grounds are available to the public.

Ko Tapu island in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
Ko Tapu island in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
This beautiful photo is of the real location called Khao Phing Kan (Thai: เขาพิงกัน) or Ko Khao Phing Kan (เกาะเขาพิงกัน) which is a pair of islands off the west coast of Thailand in Phang Nga Bay (Andaman Sea). 

Before 1974, the island was a little known paradise.  The 1974 James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun" featured the island as the hideout for the villain.  Unfortunately, the sudden popularity of this indigenous area resulted in pollution and litter spoiling the scenic area.  The government established the Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park in 1981. The park has many limestone and karst features alone the Andaman Sea.  It is feared that Ko Tapu may collapse due to the weight of the island is supported by a 13 foot diameter (4 meters) at the water's edge.   In an effort to protect Ko Tapu from erosion or damage due to tourist boats, the Thai government has outlawed access to the island. 

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Real or Fake Travel Destinations?

2/23/2013

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Dar al-Hajar
Built as a summer residence in the early twentieth century, the impressively real Dar al-Hajar crowns a rock outcropping near Sana'a in eastern Yemen.
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Molokini is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater which is very popular with scuba divers and snorkelers. You can see several tour boats located inside the crater. Unfortunately, the star island does not exist. So yes, you can travel to Molokini island from Maui. Please do because the sea life is amazing.
This is not a castle in Dublin, Ireland.  It is a digitally manipulated image.
The castle is Germany's Schloss Lichtenstein, and the island rock is James Bond Island in Thailand. Obviously, neither exists in Ireland.
Giuliano Mauri's
A Pinterest pinner called this as the Snow Cathedral of Norway, but although it is a real destination it is not located in Norway. It is a real living structure in Italy. Click on the image to check out the website that shows how it was developed.
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Can you detect the real Images on Pinterest?

2/21/2013

1 Comment

 
Leopard with Green Eyes - Photoshop effects
The image on the left above was found on Pinterest. The real image is on the right. Anyone who knows their birds will recognize that the eyes had been manipulated in the image on the left.
Altered image of a tiger.
Do albino tigers have green eyes? Well, at least in this case, No! The image on the left has been altered from the image on the right. I hope children in school do not see this white tiger and think that it is real!
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If you are like me, I am a bit suspicious when I see a celebrity or model with a perfect smile, smooth skin, and skinny hips in magazine coves and advertisements.  There is much discussion about the ethics of changing the image of models and the unrealistic expectations our youth develop after seeing these "perfect" images. I understand that a model may have an imperfection on the day of a photo shoot, but where do we draw line on what is acceptable for the sake of aesthetics and what is a violation of basic ethics. 

What has surprised me is the number of Pinners that pin fake images on Pinterest.  What is the purpose?  I imagine that it is designed to help get followers and repins of these unusual images.  Unfortunately, it will also give unwise Pinners the wrong idea regarding an endangered species or potential travel destinations.  For example, is the above image real or fake? If you said fake, then you are correct. What are some indicators that it is a fake? First, this is a photo of a Clark's Nutcracker that is a gray and black bird.  Second, the watermark indicates that this came from the Worth1000.com website. This website operates photo manipulation contests . . . you can find a great number of really well done images.  So I understand the temptation, but at least confess that this image has been manipulated with a software, such as Adobe Photoshop. Finally, this bird is found in the mountain west region of the United States.  I have seen it many times in our national parks, near campgrounds, pine trees, and in picnic areas.

But alas, even I have fallen for a few of these fakes. Now I take the time to verify the associated link.  Does the pin link to a real website? Is the image still on the website? Is the author or photographer indicated on the website?  Any photographer worth "their salt" will claim credit for their work!  Most will share when and where the photo was taken, and with what camera they used to capture the image. Exercise a little caution before repinning that stunning image.
 
I realize that many of these images are pretty and it is difficult to resist.  But be truthful in your representation!  Your reputation will depend on your ethics.  Consider this . . . if you use a fake image to attract customers to a business website (yes, I have discovered at least one company on Pinterest that has done this), I as a customer would not trust that the images of your products were truthful.  By the way, here is the original untouched photo of the Clark's Nutcracker. Next time you see a beautiful and unusual bird, check out Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 


The real Clark's Nutcracker is singing for joy in its natural colors.
May the real Clark's Nutcracker be appreciated for its natural beauty! The Clark's Nutcracker is commonly found in the mountain regions of western United States.
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    Author

    Dr. Linda Ralston (alias UTourDoctor) teaches at the University of Utah in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. My blog on emarketing is designed for my students just beginning the journey of exploring the world of electronic marketing.

    Check out my other blogs:
    eLearning Blog
    ePortfolio Blog
    Responsible Tourism Blog
    Sabbatical Blog (2009)

    Linda Ralston

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