Society, Environment, Technology

Oompa-Loompa Politics

By April 23, 2007No Comments

While reading about the French election results in the three main Spanish newspapers, I observed a tendency to add an orange cast on the face of the politicians whose politics are not shared by the paper’s ideology. And so in ‘El Pais‘ Sarkozy is shown with a weird orange cast in his face. While in ‘El Mundo’, Royal suffers the same treatment. In the ‘ABC‘ newspaper, the reference goes to God, as both personalities look up in search of divine intervention. Nothing new up to here. But I am surprised that the use of the Oompa-Loompa Photoshop filter is a usual practice, as I can not think it is a coincidence. Well, I had a look at other international news agencies and it seems to be only a Spanish thing. In ‘Le Monde‘ a cartoon is used to represent the contestants where Royal appears with a normal skin tone and Sarkozy is a square headed human. Of course, the BBC shows us how to be proper. I found a conference in Paris on the subject of “Politic Photography – Politics of Photography“, perhaps they will talk about the Oompa-Loompa Photoshop filter. Just a thought.

Sarkozy and Royal illuminated by GodSarkozy magnifique, Royal as orange as an Oompa-LoompaSarkozy as orange as an Oompa-Loompa, Royal magnifiqueIn Le Monde, Royal is human and Sarkozy square.BBC, all correct.This seems to be the correct cast. But how can we be sure?