According to DoDI 5040.02 policy, any alteration to DoD imagery that misinterprets or changes the scene or object is unethical and not permitted. However, it allows for corrective techniques that help achieve an accurate recording of an event or object. Any corrective techniques used must be included in the caption and the original unedited version of the image must be archived.
Use the accepted alterations defined below when necessary:
- Color Balancing: changing the overall mixture of colors in an image and is used for color correction
- De-noising: reducing the noise in a photo by lowering the ISO or using a larger camera's sensor
- Spotting and Dusting: retouching minor flaws in the finished print
- Dodging: used to lighten areas of an image
- Contrast: scale difference of black and white in images
- Sharpening: emphasizing contrast at the edges between different elements in a photograph.
- Cropping: a process that is performed in order to emphasize a subject
- Burning: used to darken areas of an image
Click through the slideshow to see before and after images that use authorized corrective techniques.
Image of ten VFA-147 Argonaut F-35C aircraft displayed on the flightline at Naval Air Station Lemoore (NASL) before color balancing. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad M. Butler; Original VIRIN: 190227-N-KT595-003. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0006
Image of ten VFA-147 Argonaut F-35C aircraft after balancing the color shows a more lifelike image of the scene. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad M. Butler; Original VIRIN: 190227-N-KT595-003. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0005
Image of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Angela McShan arrives at homeport for the first time, Sept. 28, 2019, at Training Center Cape May before noise alteration.
(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Timothy Tamargo; Original VIRIN: 190928-G-VS714-1009. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0014
Image of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Angela McShan after de-noising to lower the ISO to bring out the main focus of the image. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Timothy Tamargo; Original VIRIN: 190928-G-VS714-1009. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0013
Image of U.S. Army Golden Knights before dusting alterations.
(U.S. Army photo by Lara Poirrier; Original VIRIN: 190312-A-QC160-109. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0012
Image of U.S. Army Golden Knights after dusting, which removes the spots to make an image look clean and clear.
(U.S. Army photo by Lara Poirrier; Original VIRIN: 190312-A-QC160-109. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0011
Image of Fire Controlman 3rd Class Jared Bowling studying radar manuals from a laptop aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) before dodging alterations.
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William Jenkins; Original VIRIN: 160905-N-BL607-187. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0010
Image of Fire Controlman 3rd Class Jared Bowling studying radar manuals from a laptop after dodging to illuminate the dark regions of the image.
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William Jenkins; Original VIRIN: 160905-N-BL607-187. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0009
Image of an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter flying over a simulated close air support drill during exercise before contrast.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ujian Gosun; Original VIRIN: 191205-M-TU214-1142. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0004
Image of an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter flying over a simulated close air support drill during exercise after contrasting, which changes the black and white of the image to bring out the color.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ujian Gosun; Original VIRIN: 191205-M-TU214-1142. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0003
Image of Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jeffrey Deason, back monitoring Lt. j.g. Lauren Dulle, from Columbia, Missouri, as she fires a M240 machine gun during a crew serve weapons qualification before sharpening.
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released; Original VIRIN: 200111-N-TI693-1406. Photo modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0016
Image of Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jeffrey Deason, back monitoring Lt. j.g. Lauren Dulle, from Columbia, Missouri, as she fires a M240 machine gun during a crew serve weapons qualification after sharpening the image, which creates contrast at the edges between different elements.
(Original Image by U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV/Released; Original VIRIN: 200111-N-TI693-1406. Photo modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0015
Image of members of the District of Columbia National Guard participating in the 2019 Awards and Decorations Ceremony at the D.C. Armory before cropping.
(Original VIRIN: 191210-Z-IF359-008. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0008
Image of members of the District of Columbia National Guard participating in the 2019 Awards and Decorations Ceremony at the D.C. Armory after cropping the image to emphasize the subjects.
(Original VIRIN: 191210-Z-IF359-008. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0007
Image of a student at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in the Technical Exploitation Course processes a laptop computer before applying the burning alteration.
(U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens; Original VIRIN: 191022-A-OP908-060. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0002
Image of a student at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in the Technical Exploitation Course processes a laptop computer after applying the burning alteration, which darkens a bright region of the image.
(U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens; Original VIRIN: 191022-A-OP908-060. Image modified for learning purposes.)
Photo by:
DINFOS PAVILION
VIRIN:
210122-D-PA656-0001