One of the most celebrated images of the great Roberto Clemente shows the outfielder gracefully leaping to catch a ball as clouds in the background form near-perfect angel wings behind him:
Click on the image above to enlarge and see greater detail.
The original photo was shot by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff photographer Jim Klingensmith in Fort Myers, Florida, at Terry Park, spring training home of the Pirates from 1955 to 1968. It is a remarkable picture, but is everything we see real or has the image been doctored?
By carefully flipping a portion of the left-side cloud structure (Clemente’s right wing) and placing it atop the other wing, it is apparent that significant features are actually identical mirror images of one another. Pay close attention to the identical outlines of the insides of both the right and left wings:
Click on the image above to enlarge and see greater detail.
Not only are the shapes of the insides of the wings the same, but individual markings in the cloud structure are repeated. There is simply no doubt that some portions of the clouds were altered to produce these wings. Here are a few of the particular features (slightly darker “dimples” in the white clouds) that are mirrored on both wings:
Click on the image above to enlarge and see greater detail.
Other clues seen in the image also make it clear that the picture underwent significant “Photoshopping.” For example, at left on the ground there are multiple repeated patterns, suggesting the use of Photoshop’s “cloning” tool (or some similar technique), which samples a small section of an image and repeats it elsewhere within the image. Here is one such repeated pattern, but careful examination of the image shows that the technique was performed elsewhere, as well:
Click on the image above to enlarge and see greater detail.
In short, what we are seeing is a significantly doctored photograph of Roberto Clemente. Just when the image underwent the changes is unclear, but make no mistake. Though the picture has been altered, what remains unaltered is the indisputable impact this great man had, both on and off the field.
Sharp eye, Tom! Somehow we had not seen that particular image before, but that the left cloud had been artificially mirrored on the right was out initial impression before we even began reading your article. It'd be interesting (useful?) to know when the doctored version first appeared...
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