The green circle shows what made the reader suspicious. The red circles indicate that a second person is directly behind, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, the man on the left side foreground. A man in back of Harper is holding a hockey stick. (Credit: Photo Illustration by iMediaEthics using image from The Canadian Press)

The Globe and Mail did not Photoshop a picture of Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, public editor Sylvia Stead explained in a Feb. 14 blogpost.

It is an optical illusion that there appears to be a floating hockey stick by Haper’s left hand.

The photo shows Harper with four staff members all holding hockey sticks, but one happens to be standing directly behind Harper. It is an optical illusion that it appears like there is a floating hockey stick by Harper’s left hand.

See iMediaEthics’ above mark-up of the image. The green circle shows what made the reader suspicious. The red circles indicate that a second person is standing directly behind Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, the man on the left side foreground. A man standing behind Harper is holding a hockey stick.

A Globe and Mail reader complained about the photo arguing it was doctored.