Photographer says "sorry" for faking Tibetan antelope picture

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- An award-winning photographer and activist in Tibetan antelope protection has apologized to the public for a picture he faked showing more than 20 of the fiddle-footed animals roaming peacefully under a railway bridge where a train was roaring past.

"I've carefully read through all the Internet postings about the questioned picture, which I'm ready to say, was modified with Photoshop software," wrote Liu Weiqiang, 41, on a forum of xitek.com, a website for photographer, on Saturday.

A posting appeared on the same forum last Friday pointing out three evidences to show Liu's photo was fabricated: including a red line, which, visible only after being amplified many times, was apparently the joint of two separate pictures, and the incredible calmness of the antelopes at the roaring train.

Zoologists say Tibetan antelopes are easily disturbed by even the slightest sound. Yet the herd on Liu's photo were running calmly in an orderly queue.

Liu, a photographer with Daqing Evening News in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, allegedly "shot" the photo showing the critically-endangered Tibetan antelopes totally undisturbed by the roaring train on June 23, 2006, a week before the landmark railway to Tibet opened to traffic.

His work, named "Qinghai-Tibet railway opening green passageway for wild animals", was among "the 10 most impressive news photos of 2006", an annual event sponsored by Chinese Central Television (CCTV).

"It was designed to be a poster, but was published on many websites for free," Liu wrote in the posting. "I was surprised it stood out in the CCTV photo contest."

At CCTV's award granting ceremony on Dec. 27, 2006, Liu said he had been waiting for eight days and eight nights in the uninhabited land of Hoh Xil, more than 4,000 meters above sea level, to shoot the creature, according to scripts of the event still available at CCTV.com.

In his posting Liu said he had actually downplayed the hardship he suffered. "I spent at least two weeks there waiting for the antelopes and train to appear together, but they never did."

He eventually resorted to Photoshop to stitch together two photos he shot over the time, one with a coming train and the other, with dozens of antelopes.

"I admit it's unfaithful, as well immoral, for a photographer to present a fabricated picture. I'm truly sorry," read Liu's posting. "But I trust you still remember what I said at the award granting ceremony, 'that I just want to give the Tibetan antelopes an opportunity' and 'that I accepted the award on behalf of the animals'".

Liu said he was moved that so many Chinese Internet users were attentive to the photo. "I am to blame for the fabrication and I will face all the consequences. But I'm relieved to see a fake picture has aroused so many people's attention of, and love for, Tibetan antelopes."

Liu, born in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, majored in Chinese literature at university and was an avid painter. He was a teacher for five years before he became a cameraman at an oil refinery in Daqing in 1995. He joined Daqing Evening News in 1997 and is also a senior member of the Chinese photographers' association.

He won gold prize in a Chinese photo contest in 2002 with a picture focusing on a sandstorm.

Despite widespread criticism of the fake photo, several Internet users spoke highly of Liu's courage to speak up.

"He has my support, and I still believe it's a nice artistic work," said a netizen in Shanghai on Netease.com.

"I admire Liu's honesty. He's brave to speak up and take the responsibility," said a user in Jiangsu.

The antelope photo has inevitably reminded the Chinese of the suspected fake south China tiger photo, allegedly shot by a farmer in Shaanxi Province in October, that caused a national controversy.

Zhou Zhenglong, from mountainous Zhenping County, presented photos of the tiger he said were taken in the forest near his village.

The local forestry authority said the photos were proof the rare tiger still existed in the wild. But Internet users accused Zhou of making the tiger images with digital software, and local authorities of approving the photographs to bolster tourism.

In December, State Forestry Administration demanded the provincial forestry department have the photo authenticated by a panel of experts, but no results have been published.

Two weeks ago the Shaanxi Forestry Department apologized for publicizing the photos, but said nothing about their authenticity.