What is barrel and pincushion distortion?

The post-exposure correction of barrel distortion and pincushion distortion (and combinations of the two, such as wavy or mustache distortion) does not disqualify photographs from the TTG label.

“Barrel- and pincushion distortion correction” is listed under Category #4 of the Allowable Changes that are linked to P2.

(Barrel- and pincushion distortion correction is built in to hundreds of millions of devices and is often done “in-camera” without the photographer telling the device to do it.)

As with corrections of surface flaws, in a TTG-qualified photograph barrel and pincushion distortion (and combinations of the two) may be left as is, may be partially corrected, or may be fully corrected—

— but accentuating or adding such distortions always disqualifies the result from P2 and from TTG.

Special notes

• If the barrel/pincushion distortion is so excessive, unfamiliar, or potentially deceptive that a respected news organization would provide a separate viewer-alert if the photograph was used in an information-reportage setting, then the TTG photographer must attach the TTG-IC version of the label to the photo.

• If the barrel/pincushion distortion is so excessive, unfamiliar, or potentially deceptive that a respected news organization would reject the photograph, the photo is considered TTG-ineligible.