 The nation’s leading vegetarian news and lifestyle magazine has admitted it “screwed up” by attempting to pass off meaty recipe photos as meatless in the pages of its magazine and online. VegNews issued a mea culpa last week after a blogger outed the publication for using images of chicken and hamburgers from a royalty-free image service to illustrate recipes such as “veganized” Brunswick stew and “Magical Meatball Burgers.” The VegNews team defended its actions, attributing them to a lack of images of vegetarian dishes and the high costs associated with image-gathering, especially for an independent publication like VegNews. This week, the magazine went a step further, vowing to never again let images of cooked animals carcasses grace its pages and promising to host a photo bank of vegan stock images. News of VegWeb’s transgression sparked heated debate as to whether their actions could ever been seen as justifiable. The post on quarrygirl.com compared images from iStockphoto and VegNews.com to illustrate the allegations; in perhaps the most egregious example, the post compared pictures of "Vegan Spare Ribs" and "Barbecue Ribs Dinner," pointing out where the bones were apparently edited out of the image. Some came to VegNews’ defense while others, like the author of quarrygirl.com, said the VegNews’ “outright lack of respect… toward animals and vegans undermines everything we stand for.” Others in the Twitterverse said the controversy exposed the need for a vegan stock image service – a need that VegNews has indicated a willingness to fill. “VegNews will build and host a vegan photo bank to assure the availability of vegan stock images. Look for details in the coming days.” |
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obviously like eatocracy.cnn.com however you need to test the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I to find it very troublesome to tell the reality nevertheless I'll definitely come back again.
Pot meet kettle. Your concern about other people's spelling has obliterated your ability to check your own punctuation. Get over yourself.
Every vegan I know is a complete and total retard. Every one of them.
I'm a vegetarian and I don't give a **** if their picture has meat in it. I'm not eating the picture – although the picture is just composed of paper and ink which is likely vegetarian friendly.
Every vegan I know is a retard.
Every one of them.
Just sayin'
Gosh, what an insightful comment. I am honored by your reasoning abilities. C word
In cereal or milk commercials, all milk (dairy, soy, coconut, etc) is actually PLAIN GLUE – it photographs better! And Beyonce wears a wig in all those Feria commercials. So the Eff what? This is why no one takes animal rights seriously – because PETA and other vegan activists get hype over the stupidest things. Pick your battles, people.
What has this to do with cereal?
How have these comments moved to a English vs. Spanish discussion?
The veggie cake was a lie?
If they are running so low on pictures, why in god's name don't they cook the meal they have a recipe for and TAKE A PICTURE of it??
...and furthermore, WHO CARES?
Call any vegetable, and the chances are good . . .
What's with people making harsh generalizations based on things not even said? There is too much crying over milk that hasn't been spilled. Live in the moment. Save your baggage for Delta.
Not ALL vegans are militant & in-your-face preachers.
Not ALL omnivores are insensitive, knuckle-dragging boors.
"Not ALL vegans are militant & in-your-face preachers." Name one.
some emo kid: i am not a militant, nor an in your face preacher.
Rick, I can actually name quite few myself; I was just cracking on him.
I do find those who want to pigeonhole vegans as fanatics to be amusing. It is like they have never had a well made vegan meal. Oh well
I do find those who want to pigeonhole vegans as fanatics to be amusing.
It's weird that the very second a lot of meat eaters see the word "vegan," the immediately say, "Don't preach to me! Oh my God, God made animals for us to eat! Save the plants! Vegans are all pale anemics! Why do you vegans preach so much and act so high and mighty?" All because they saw the word "vegan."
Why is it so threatening? The way most animals are slaughtered is truly disgusting, so if someone chooses to be a vegan, you could at least understand why and not get so "Oh my God, someone is trying to take my meat away from ME" about it. Most vegans don't preach and could care less what YOU eat, so why can't you just respect them back? Just show some respect for others' choices and stop posting all of your lame clichés about veganism, because it just makes you look defensive, like you know there is something good about veganism, and it is also disrespectful.
good post. i agree
What a novel case of denial, Pierce. I agree with all your points, but lets be realistic...the history is interesting and accurate, but it's history. America, while not technically accurate, in context was correct. Spanish was once spoken throughout the America's and still remains so, but English is the strongest contender for a national language in the US, and regardless of who settled where when, the current borders of the US are lawful through conquest, purchase and settlement.
Get with reality, fella.
Yes, be very proud of your Spanish heritage. Just ignore the fact that the Spanish committed possibly more atrocities against Native Americans than any other European group.
"any other European group" Aw, don't forget the French and English; they certainly got in a few stabs. The French thought up the idea of 'scalping,' for example.
These vegan types make me laugh. If you're a vegan because of ethical reasons, why do you insist on thrusting your beliefs on the rest of us? I like to eat meat...juicy beef broiled, BBQ, sauteed, whatever. I don't ask others to eat what I eat and actually could give rat's a$$ what other people eat. Yet, vegans think they have the authority to preach to others. Take a leap chowder heads.
Yet you seem to think that all vegans give a damn about what you stuff your face with
Nobody is preaching to anybody. Did you read the article?
Yeah!, shame on them for displaying delicious looking stew with beef or chicken....things one needs for a balanced diet and "genuine" carb intake. I'm appaled at the sight of meat that could coat your arteries after 70 years!! the nerve!.
One thing I made note of is to avoid Vegas... especially the women.... they look like prisoners from Auschwitz and appear to have a green tint like ET. Give me an all American chick with curves and substance!! yayyy for meat!.
"Give me an all American chick " Get one yourself. What, are you ordering from the menu?
I have never even seen an unhealthy looking vegan. However, I have seen plenty of obese, gray-skinned, obese 30 year old animal-eaters sucking down lipitor because they eat meat, which is unnatural for humans (natural herbavores) to do.
Wow, this is really worth raising your blood pressure. But seriously, if God didn't want people to eat animals, why did HE make them out of meat, anyway?
Vegetables is what food eats.
Q: What did one Vegan Cannibal say to the other Vegan Cannibal?
How the he11 can you have a Vegan Cannibal?
That's right. I guess you've heard that one before.
I've been a VegNews subscriber for years. I've noticed a decline in 'weighty' commentary and interesting articles in the past couple of years. I used to look forward to receiving VN but lately I've considered canceling my subscription . . . this may be the straw . . .
Not to defend what VegNews did by using meat photos, (do they not have 8 thousands people who would LOVE to give them vegan photos?) but it is difficult to find non-copyrighted, photographs of vegan food on the web.
BRAVO QuarryGirl for being the catalyst to bring about positive change! In all aspects of life we need MORE integrity NOT less. I'm truly disappointed in the way in which VN handled this issue.
VN would do well to revamp the magazine to the more mature publication it once was a couple of years ago. One way to 'grow up' and show maturity is to take full responsibility when you screw up. I don't see true apology reflected in the letter to the "VegNews Community".
It is completely appropriate to address QuarryGirl directly for bringing this issue to light. Your letter is a partial apology at best. VegNews needs to step-up and do the right thing if they want the respect of a mature readership.
Pork chops are so filling. Mmmmm. I will sleep gud tonite, vegan dears.
why are you so so obsessed with attacking vegans. feeling guilty? or sickly?
And when you say America, remember that America covers everything from Canada down south to the tip of South America, plus much of the caribbean. So dont go appropriating that word for a little portion of North America and a tinier portion of both continents, that is to say, the Americas.
Study your history. Study your geography. Study your shifting borders before you hold forth on what is "ours" and what is "theirs."
The place is no longer for those who would wear powdered wigs and rode connestogas and talked like John Wayne. There is 30,000 years history of indigenous Americans here and there will be 30,000 more years of the indigenous in the Americas.
Only we in the U.S. will be a tiny portion of the economic engine of the future.
I think they are just flat out lying due to lack of appeal. Apparently they can't just take a snapshot of whatever their vegan recipes produce, probably because they look disgusting.
actually, i can guarantee every single thing VEGAN item I cook looks and tastes better than every single thing you cook.
Stupid Vegans.
no body cares how superior you are. get your publicity and clear out. you are fouling the air for 90% of the population that is non-vegan.
That's what they get for being picky mother fückers!
Q-How can one tell if someone is vegan?
A-Oh, don't worry, they'll tell you.
Good one – I am stealing it.
*like*
SCREW YOU VEGANS, ALL OF YOU.
YOU PEOPLE ARE EATING THE LIVING THING THAT FUELS OUR PLANET WITH OXIGEN.
I'LL KEEP EATING THAT BORING COW
There are vegans that do it entirely (what they percieve) as their own health, and don't give a damn what others eat
In principle I totally agree with not eating stuff you find revolting. I find most veggie stuff either nasty or unappealing, but they are welcome to eat what they like.
hahahaha the vegans had to use pictures of real food in order to make their NASTY food look good.
fatty. meat-eating fatty. enough said.
Just the idea that the mag used a pic with meat on it shows that vegans do like meat! why else would they make veg food that look like meat?...... bacon for president
This is America,Please speak English.
Si, senor
Spanish was the first European language spoken from Oregon south to california and Texas and down to Argentina near the South Pole. A hundred years before the first tea party refugee arrived on our shores from England, you know, them Puritans who escaped oppression to oppress the natives here.
So i hope you dont mind if I speak my Spanish when ever I well damn choose to, pilgrim.
If you don't like English and our American culture, then by all means – keep yours and move back to your own country. Insisting on keeping "your" ways while you live off of our land and tax dollars is downright insulting.
*thumbs up!*
Terd? This is America; please wipe.
Jim, you are holier than Jimmy
A totally vegan diet is not good. Humans are designed to and need to eat meat. That being said, I think that many of us could benefit from eating a lot less meat. I cut my meat consumption by 75%. I lost weight, etc., but I don't have the sicky white skin color that many vegans have.
I also only eat wild game, which I shoot and kill. It is much better for you that the chemical laced meat sold in food stores. Going natural is great!
Jim: I have been a vegan for over 30 years. how is it unhealthy?
Jimmy, no actually you are a detritivore, go ahead guys google it
Jimmy Crackcorn, you don't like vegans because they are holier than thou, which is actually the case you cannivore
Does a cannivore just eat stuff from cans? Inquiring minds want to know.
Just further proof that vegans are idiots. Maybe if they ate some meat it would help them pass the stick stuck up their azzes.
Your crack is showing,please pull 'em up!
Imao, you so full of hate man, you definitely benefit from a vegan diet.
Look out, here comes the boo hoo train
The point is a vegan promoting organisation should not use carcass because it means they benefited from the killing of an animal. It has nothing to do with the realism or imitation of a product.
I could care less if someone does or does not eat meat . However, most of the vegans/vegetarians I come in contact with are the least likely people to actually eat something that hasn't come from a tin can or a Trader Joe's box. Never mind any fresh vegetables. More interested in pop 'philosophy' than nutrition!
Amazed at all the unsolicited hatred towards people who eat a certain way when a magazine that targets them is called-out for fraud....
The meat is a lie...
This is the most ridiculous string of comments I've ever read....lol.....
Thank You for caring!
vegans are the most obnoxious twats in the world. cry me a river, if only all the world's travesties were as trivial as the well to do vegans'. (spare me the comeback it'll fall on deaf ears. anyone with a lick of sense knows the only people who choose to be vegan are wealthy whiners who seek crap to complain about the same way a heroin addict seeks his next fix)
STOP THE HERBICIDE!!! EAT MEAT!
actually meat is full of pesticides, herbacides, GMO's, artificial hormones, and rotting flesh. Yummy.
This highlights the hypocrisy of the vegan movement. People are by design- Omnivores. Herbivores are not so by choice, but by design. They don't try to be what they are not, and neither should you. It only makes someone look ridiculous, just like this Vegan Magazine. Don't pretend, EAT MEAT- IT TASTES GOOD! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!
I became a Lesbian and I Like It!!
I invented the square Burger,because the Vegans could not figure out which side of the sandwich to start with.
That doesn't make any sense, fucktard.
I'm gonna tell my Mommy that you have a potty mouth and then send Wendy over to kick your ASS!!!
Wow! Why are so many of you such haters? Just because someone decides to not eat meat they are deemed "stupid", why do you care if they eat meat or not? No, I don't eat meat but I don't care if you do.....I only need be concerned about what I do.
And yeah, I don't think the mag should have used those pics mainly because they were not respecting the group they were suppose to be representing. And why can't they fix the dishes and do the photos themselves??
Are your eyes on the side of your head, or on the front of your head?
Look into my eyes...........
Vegans are like Atheists, they just dont get it.
Actually, like I posted above, vegans are like the christian right – they both attack the belief system of others as inferior and try to impart there ways on others who were doing just fine without them.
dave: what is it that vegans don't get? and how is it related to atheism?
dusty: i am a vegan. how does my DIETARY CHOICE impact anyone? i don't give a rat's ass about what other people eat, but i do know we are all going to pay for it in the future.
vegan and atheist here. realist. educated. suck it.
PB, you are right. These people are getting defensive, because they feel threatened. We should all respect each other. You have respect. A lot of these people do not.
Nurse,Take a stock photo of this..It looks like a Pink Taco.
Get your freezing cold stethoscope off my taco!
Sorry m'am,Just checking your blood pressure.
At least put some hot sauce on it, first. Ay carumba!
I'm sorry but condiments are not covered under Obamacare.
Then I'll just take my business to Planned Comidahood. Thanks for nothing, you back alley plastic fork burritoectomy pusher!
I lose more patients this way because of Obamacare. Free sample of Viagra for your Boyfriend?
I'll eat vegan when animals in nature are vegan.
In nature animals eat animals. Humans fit the physiological and anatomical category of herbivore. We are NATURALLY equipped to eat meat.
I'm not talking about the meat INDUSTRY here – I have my own problem with animal cruelty within the meat industry. But the simple act of killing an animal and eating it is about as natural as you can get.
But, the sad part is you're eating vegan animals. Or, are you eating tigers, bears, dogs?
It's the poor cows, pigs, lambs who never ever harm a soul.
Every day, billions of innocent plants are slaughtered for vegan bloodthirst! STOP THE MASS MURDER OF PLANTS.
Save a Plant – Eat a Cow!
Pigs will eat about anything.
This is by far the dumbest article I have ever read. And you vegans need a real life.
And you need to get a new/original screen or if you are going to steal one, at least learn to spell it correctly...
"Vegans are intensely stupid people."
Thank you so much for your insight. Well done.
Why are there so many haters on the CNN comment board?
It's caused by vegans being so angry and bitter that they have to eat crap. And they realize that they can't convince anyone else to join them in their misery.
Have another burger and think yourself superior, pendejo
That's God – sorry!
NOW IS THE TIME FOR COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Gog didn't want us to eat meat, he would not have made animals out of it. Nor would he have made cows so slow. This, from a former vegetarian of 15 years who developed horrible acid reflux and malnutrition despite observing all of the nutritional guidelines. My friends who are vegan are in general a little to thin, and have pasty complexions. I'tt take a nice steak, thank you very much, but I do think the vegan mag messed up...
Might be something wrong with the way your body digests and processes food. I know lots of vegetarians who have been healthy for 30 years. I think the mag made a stupid decision though, it's really incredible.
What are you talking about: cows are slow? Plants don't move at all.
Your acid reflux was not caused by your vegan diet.
If you chose to eat meat again, that's fine, but to bash your vegan friends shows a lack of class.
Erm by your rather non-logic, as humans are made of meat, god wants us to eat them too? You're saying cannibalism is ok? Quite frankly, if brains were dynamite, you wouldn't have enough to blow the knee-cap off a flea.
humans are made out of meat too. that's why I eat them.
@CarnivorousRex, sounds like she needs to associate with only other vegans since she is so righteous. Dump her.
It's sort of like hanging boobs on Bruce Willis and calling it Demi Moore. It's just WRONG!
Vegans are just so sensitive
One of my friends converted to veganism about a year ago, and writes a vegan blog, and she has never been so annoying. She acts like veganism is a damn religion, and is constantly proselytizing about the virtues of a plant based diet, the evils of eating animal products and non-compassionate foods. She has adopted a very condescending attitude toward non-vegans and acts as though she has discovered the path to true enlightenment, unlike the poor, unwashed masses that continue to act like savages and eat meat. The VegTimes controversy made her absolutely apoplectic to my great amusement.
I will eat a steak in her honor tonight.....
They're all like that. Like a bunch of brownshirts demanding that you follow their edicts. Eating all the crap that they do, has made them angry and bitter.
Gee, RealityChecks, you are sooooooo bright. All vegans are condescending and eat "crappy food". Moron.
Your friend is correct in that her vegan diet is the healthiest and most environmentally-sound diet, and it's the most peaceful and kind diet. Since you find her posts annoying, you should stop reading them. I would enjoy her blog and be inspired to eat a healthier, more plant-based diet, personally. To each their own.
P.S. Meat-eaters who can't respect vegans are truly annoying.
Well, at least you're admitting religious people suck.
I'm surprised at how immature and childish most of the comments are, from both sides of the issue. If you have to resort to name calling and gross generalizations, then you don't have anything meaningful to contribute, so just don't.
yeah
Just ate a bloody, juicy hamburger.... nom, nom, nom....
I read this story because I wanted a good laugh and boy was I disappointed. Sounds to me like the only reason that this was news is because someone wanted to get their mag's name out there.
STOP THE PRESSES! SOME VEGANS WERE OFFENDED!!!
..... and sometimes all caps is just the thing ..... ;)
Mmmm.....meat....
Vegans are intensely stupid people. I used to manage an indie movie theater and we had tons of them come in. When one got rowdy, I let them know the truth: 35 MM film is partially composed of animal bones, ergo they can't see movies in theaters (unless it's digital). Seriously, these people can't really eat their own dog food.
You're an id iot. You really think whatever vegans came into your little hipster movie theater are indicative of every single vegan in the world? Put your fri ggin thinking cap on. This has nothing to do with the article, I just wanted to point out what a dou che you are.
Youre a fucking moron.
These vegans are angry, bitter people. They must be angry that they have to eat crappy fake-food. With attitudes like these punks, it's no wonder that 99.9999% of Americans consider them too stupid to ever take seriously.
Hero Status Awarded... Epic Win
Does this 99.9999% include the tubbies waddling out of the McBurger place with their orders of chicken still on their round pink faces?
Yes and 99.99999% of the world considers dumbass americans like yourself to ridiculous to be taken seriously.
You should have stopped at "These vegans are angry, bitter people." That would have indicated there are SPECIFIC vegans you are targeting in your arguments. Instead, you continued with baseless drivel thereby turning your comment into a baggage-filled, ignorant gripe. KUTGW.
Vegans are like the christian right – they both attack others belief system as inferior and try to impart there ways on others who were doing just fine without them.
No there like Gay men.. oh did i affend california well vegans are picky at everything and so are the green peace which over 50% of them are GAY MEN
Boy, both you and Luke are morons. Go F yourselves, you inbred C words
I am a former vegan, and I completely favor helping out those who have made this committment... it's not easy! However, even as I used to turn my nose up at anything that might possibly contain an animal product or by-product, I always laughed at the prepackaged foods marketed for vegetarians and vegans. Tasty, but the concept is telling. The meatless products designed to mimick the appearance, flavor and texture of burgers, chicken wings, hot dogs and the like really suggest that this lifestyle choice is a sacrifice. I mean, do incarcerated cannibals get fake people parts formed from soybeans? :-) I am the opposite of a vegan these days, but if people are adapting to the lifestyle and did enjoy meat, then maybe looking at it doesn't help.
I am a vegan, and I don't care for those products. I cook my own meals, and don't try to make it look like meat. I have been doing this for over 30 years. To each his own, eh?
I agree, I don't buy those products cause they taste too meaty and I don't like the taste of meat. There are so many wonderful flavours to be founds in animal-free products.
ugh, "former-vegans" are the worst, you never truly held the title of Vegan.
Ya know what this reminds me of? The muslim women who worked the checkout at a Minneapolis Target who refused to scan a package of bacon because it violated her religious beliefs. Like the bacon was going to go through the package and somehow enter her blood stream. LOL, hey, look it up yourself, it's true.
Bunch of meatheads run that mag!
What's your beef?
I hate hippies...
You and me both. Too bad there are a load of them in Austin, and also where I'm from.
Hippies are great over rotisserie. You can usually lure them away from a festival with a nickel bag of oregano. My favorites are the ones that are premarinated in patchouli. If you can get them to pass out a little too close to the bonfire you can save a bunch of time and lifting. 2-3 hours on each side. Be sure to rest before serving. THe pre-cooked ones at Burning Man are also a quick tasty treat. Lighten up people.
That sounds gross. I'd rather just let the raccoons take care of that. They have no protein in them, just a bunch of organic crap that no one (normal) cares about.
Give me some steak! As a matter of fact, I'm cooking a roast right now, hope the vegans don't hear about that, they'll get all pissy over it.
Mmmmm. Pissy roast.
You don't like my Hips Big Boy?
You are a fucking moron.
What has this to do with "hippies"?
I'm not surprised to see that everything I've heard about Texans being ignorant, half-witted, sausage jockeys is correct. You and most of your commentors clearly illustrate this.
This is news?
You read it, so obviously it is.
People are SO stupid in this country. FIRST to make stink about this and THEN to call it news??? Then, to place on a letter " vowing to never again let images of cooked animals carcasses grace its pages?" This is SO ridicoulous and the main reason why this country is SO SCREWED UP!!!
And yet here you are ready to make stink about it and legitimize it as news. Thanks for setting us all straight.
I disagree. I think it is news when you find a humorous contradiction like this. But really I'm not surprised. Much of publishing is just people pandering to some group so they can sell ad space.
...I don't think this is "the main reason this country is so screwed up."
Stock images be damned! Had it occurred to anyone at VegNews to actually cook the dishes and take photographs of them? We food bloggers do it all the time. What they're really admitting to, is being too lazy to vet recipes that they're publishing. And where did the recipes come from? Was the recipe writer/developer too lazy to photograph their own work? Lame from beginning to end.
exactly, dude
And obviously you just have *tons* of experience doing food photography.
It's not that hard to do.
This sounds like another case of lazy journalism to me. I work for a small company and we do most of our own product photography. This is not to demean the fine work of professional photographers.
Yes, they said they wish they could do their own photos but it costs to much so they use stock photos. I call BS. I think what they really mean is they never even bother to cook the recipe and have nothing to photograph.
No, it is not about the food, it is just about slamming the meat industry. I find it absolutely FUNNY that they can't find a picture of the vegan dish. Probably because it taste horrible and no one in their right mind would leave out the most important part which is MEAT, LOL LOL. These ultra vegans are about one thing...putting what they believe on the rest of the world that enjoys meat. It is an agenda and they will employee any trick to make their point!
Fred: Not all vegan stuff taste horrible.
I am a vegan, and see it is a dietary choice, not a moral one. If others don't care for it, that's fine with me. I seems to me that you very likely have never had a well prepared (if any) vegan meal. You would not be saying it tastes horrible. If it ain't for you, that's okay, but bloviating that eating vegan "taste horrible" is absurd.
with all due respect Fred, you're an idiot.
Initially they 'magazine' claimed that they used stock photos becasue it was just too expensive to have the pictures made professionally. BS!!
All they would have had to do is advertise on their website/twitter/facebook that hey were looking for a 'food photgraphy intern'. Within a day they would have had tons of people lining up to do the work for next to nothing, just so they could get the experience and the job credit on their resume. And if you could find one that could do some writing, too, even better.
A camera, a couple of lights and a workstation would be the only real investment that would have to be made – none of which are particularly expensive and would easily pay for themselves before the end of the year.
But no, that would be too easy, too logical, and too honest.
I agree with many others that this just goes to show a basic lack of integrity and professionalism at the magazine. It also shows that they don't do any test runs of their recipes, so try them at your own risk.
Uh, what's the big deal? Stock images are used for everything. As a vegan, you are altering a meat recipe to suit your tastes, correct? So what's the difference in altering a stock photo to basically fit the recipe? Can you guys get bent out of shape over anything more insignificant?
Uh, it's about honesty, you troll. That's worth getting bent out of shape about. Well, for people who care about the truth.
Ya know head – I know your head is up where the sun don't shine. Every magazine, newspaper, blog or article has screwed up somewhere and published something they wished they hadn't. That's why newspapers have a correction column to correct mistakes. If every magazine, etc... didn't make mistakes it would be better – but that will never happen. You and quarrygirl need to see a psychiatrist – or maybe a politician (they always tell the truth don't they). Every single publication in every country on this planet has printed something either willfully or erroneously. Get over it! Get a life! Before I go I know a John Deere dealer in Wisconsin. Shall I have him send over a few 'Deere' to help with your head extraction.
For people that care about the truth, eh? I'll lay some truth on you – People are omnivores. Oh snap.
scar, the original article made clear the offense had happened many times. And vegetarian/vegan media often has a better-than attitude, speaking of meat as if it's poison. Their credibility matters.
They were stock photos – No one is going to EAT the photo – not even a vegan (even though paper is often made from plant life) – Even if you DID eat the photo, you wouldn't get any meat....
When was the last time you went to a restaurant that had pictures of its food and what you got actually LOOKED like the picture??
(of course I prefer eating at places that don't have pictures and paper placemats...)
Apart from being a bit funny, this is not news – There are much more important issues of truth (or lack thereof) to be discussing
SSampson, why did the mag photoshop a pic to remove the bones sticking out of ribs? It's just a picture.
why is this still a story...they covered this several days ago...you have to be kidding me. I heard this on NPR too...please stop.
do you think they airbrush models too!?!? oh my god...
Absence of animal protein in the diet must cause vegans to be extra sensitive and cranky.
Using a photo of something that you don't know is cooked with 100% of the ingredients listed in the recipe is unethical. Any cooking magazine or blog putting out recipes should not be leading readers to believe their food will look a certain way. Anyone who takes cooking seriously may use the photos as a guide for determining if the color and consistency are correct. Showing photos that aren't made from the same recipe does a disservice for the reader, meat or otherwise.
sometimes: "Using a photo of something that you don't know is cooked with 100% of the ingredients listed in the recipe is unethical."
So when an ice cream company uses shaving cream instead of whipped cream for photo shoots they're being unethical? Even though the two are indistinguishable in photographic format?
Interesting.
Well put lawl! It's about putting a pic on the cover of a mag so it sells, truth or not. Do you really think those beautiful women on the covers of Cosmo, Elle & People REALLY look like that? He!! no! They get their flaws airbrished out. Is that dishonest, too?
Just because someone isn't as naively militant in their beliefs as you are doesn't mean they're a troll. Back to your corner!
To lawl...if the ice cream company is using the photo to sell a product (why else would they use it?), then yes, it's unethical to use shaving cream instead of real whipped cream. Not only is it unethical, it's illegal since shaving cream isn't edible.
@Truth: There is an entire industry called food stylists. They use Elmers glue and white primer to photograph milk, brown shoe polish to pretty up strip steaks.... shellac, adhesives, and gellatins are regularly introduced to 'stage food.' Whether it's unethical or not, it's ubiquitous within the food marketing industry
I don't know...I eat takeout sushi a lot. The place I go to has plastic versions of everything they serve, so the consumer can get an idea of what the piece will look like. The point is to show what the item might look like. A vegan burger and a real burger don't need to look any different. It would be a totally different thing if they were serving the normal burger..but they're not.
Word.
@lawl – I clearly stated it's unethical when it corresponds to a recipe. Is the hypothetical ice cream company selling the whip cream recipe? If yes, then using shaving cream and passing it off as the end result of the recipe is indeed unethical. If not, then no big deal, it's a stand-in.
It's all about the purpose if you're trying to show people what it is that they're making when they follow your instructions, the only ethical way to do that is to show them a photo of the actual end result of following said instructions.
You really would have benefited from reading my comment thoroughly the first time. It would have saved you the energy and effort of writing something entirely irrelevant.
@SR – again – is the sushi restaurant selling you their recipes? Of course not. It's entirely different. If you're selling a recipe to someone you have an obligation to, at the very least, show them a picture that depicts the end result of following the steps in the recipe. Choosing a stock photo of food that appears to have some of the same ingredients doesn't cut it. The sushi restaurant isn't selling you their recipes, they have no obligation to show you exactly what it will look like. If you get the food and it's not what you expected, you have the right to send it back. However, if you pay money for ingredients to cook a recipe and find out that it's not at all what you expected, you've wasted your money and there's nothing you can do about it.
Are your heads been left in neutral from happy hour? There is a whole industry built on taking pretty pictures of food. The food artists use all sorts of tools and tricks to make food look better than you'll ever see it in real life. Dyed lettuce, gelatin infused tomato slices, painted grill marks.
So seriously, not one person looking at this mag knew what they were looking at until a sleuth found the stock photos. That's a hoot!. And for this magazine to not have someone with a camera to take a photo of a dish is even more of a hoot. What kind of magazine that publishes pretty color pictures not have a camera or someone who can take a picture? That's more of a hoot.
What is even better, their recipes were ripped off from the Joy of Cooking and the meaty goodness was substituted with soy based meat look-a-likes. That's more of a hoot. Vegans who gag at the thought of eating meat salivating over processed vegetable proteins that mimic meat.
sometimes: "I clearly stated it's unethical when it corresponds to a recipe. Is the hypothetical ice cream company selling the whip cream recipe? If yes, then using shaving cream and passing it off as the end result of the recipe is indeed unethical. If not, then no big deal, it's a stand-in."
Not to be combative, but the distinction you're drawing is rather arbitrary.
You're saying it's unethical because the picture doesn't depict any of the ingredients used in the recipe provided. But how is that different from a restaurant or an ice cream company showing you a picture that is "not" the product you're going to get?
Keep that thought in the 2012 elections–you might understand then.
My thing is, why in the world couldn't they cook up the recipe they're publishing and take their own photo? I do it all the time for my cooking articles on examiner.com, so why can't they do the same? Cost is zero for me. Surely they have staff and a digital camera at their offices.
Well, for starters that just makes to much sense
Maybe the vegan version of the recipe wasn't as attractive a photo as the non-vegan one. Or maybe they didn't have time to make the vegan version before their deadline was up.
You just never know.
@Maladee,
All the more reason to represent it properly. If its going to look like crap floating in broth because you're doing vegan – then represent it for what it really is.
Maybe it was just because they were disgusted by the vegan version and preferred to eat the carnivore version?
It's expensive and time consuming to do it that way. Even if you did cook each recipe for a photo shoot, you'd have to hire a food stylist to make the food look appealing in the photo. This can take hours. You pay for the stylist's time, the supplies, the photographer's time, and you pay a LOT.
And even then, even creating the photo specifically for that dish, you do a lot of substitutions. Foam to prop something up, glues, clays, painted portions, plastic food items. Not to mention the amount of post-production editing you do on the photo before it goes into the magazine. The dish itself is in no way edible during a photo shoot, if it was, it would look like those unappetizing photos people take themselves then upload. It's all about making the food look appealing. And after you are not going to eat the photo, you'll make the recipe yourself.
So again I ask, what's the big deal with editing a stock photo instead. You get the SAME result as if you had just spent $4,000, only you're doing it for closer to $100.
Evil Grin, I understand your point and I wouldn't have such a problem if it was properly labeled. For example, put a caption on the image that says "Photo not acutal meal" or "Meat products used – photo depicts similar food texture". I personally don't have a problem with eating meats, but that's not the point. It's about honesty in what you print. Whether it's a news report or recipies, photos are powerful additions to anything in writing. Ensuring the photo is accurately depicting the topic at hand is an important part of journalism ethics.
It's worse. Not only did it have meat. But it was not even the dish they cooked in their owbn kitchen. It's just a total fake cut and paste "fluff" article. When a reader sees a disk and reads about cooking he thinks the disk was cooked by the author. No, it was just some photo they found on the web
I think the proper reply to the outcry over this would be "it was a mistake, get over it" and be done.
I'm vegan too and I totally agree. WHO CARES!!! And anyways, it was a minor snafu and they apologized. Apology accepted.
Vegans are so goddamn uptight.
I've known some uptight vegans, some not so uptight.
As opposed to the 'god squad'. Idiot.