National Geographic interviewed Tanya Sheehan, the Ellerton M. and Edith K. Jetté Professor of Art, for its article “These manipulated photos are the original political deepfakes.” Sheehan, an art historian, commented on early photo-editing techniques, dating back to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. “In the darkroom, [photographers] had lots of control over framing and the relative exposure of an image,” often altering photographs to shape a certain truth. They also improved people’s appearance. “People who frequented photographic studios expected their portraits to show their ‘best selves,’ and retouching was seen as crucial to that goal,” Sheehan pointed out.