Update on the demon-eyesing of Condi

Apparently USAToday has pulled Condi's doctored photo and placed in an editor's note. Michelle Malkin received an email explanation claiming that they:

"...like other news organizations, often adjusts photos for sharpness and brightness to optimize their appearance when published online. In this case, a newly hired USATODAY.com editor sharpened the photo and then brightened a portion of Rice's face. Those changes had the effect of inadvertently distorting the photo and failed to meet our editorial standards."

Since I am not a Photoshop expert, but the comments below from people familiar with it make me think that it would be difficult to do this by accident. My suggestion is for USAToday to post a video somewhere showing exactly how they accidentally changed the eye area so differently from the rest.

Scott J. (via michellemalkin.com) says:

"I'm a prepress manager with twelve years experience and this is my professional take on it. The 'retraction' claimed that they sharpened the image and adjusted the brightness, they did not. The eyes were pencilled in at the pixel level by hand. (VERY sloppy, I might add.)"

Brad (via michellemalkin.com) says:

"I am a professional photographer and have used Photoshop on a daily basis for many years. This malicious retouch of Condi's image is not only intentional, but must have cleared the photo director as well. In other words as a collaborative effort or a wink and a nod.

I don't believe the eye treatment could be the result of over-sharpening alone, but probably involved some heavy handed levels or curve adjustment as well, and the eyes had been isolated from the rest of the image by selection or masking."

Here is a picture split in half with one side normal and the other doctored: