Photoshop anyone? (quick and dirty example)
What makes anyone think this is a real photo to begin with?
Well, you're right, it could be a fake. Thing is, if it is one, it's a very good one. I checked these Photos for a while and IMHO they don't show any hint of fakery. That doesn't make sure that they are real, but most amateur's photoshop work can be debunked rather easily.
Take a closer look at your picture for example (I know you quickly touched these up, but just as an example): Brighten it up a little and you see that the blacks don't match the enviroment, the jpg artifacts aren't in line etc.
I see an obvious white-ish outline around BF whereas the other objects against the background sky do not have much of an outline.
This outline is a combination of a lightwrap plus an artifact of the sharpening/contrast enhancement most digital cameras do. And you can see it equally all along the mountain edge on the left hand side. (And also around these bushes on the right, it's just a bit weaker since the edges aren't that defined)
And ARE those footprints in the snow or a natural result of wind etc?
Good question. I actually thought the latter since otherwise this would be a rather busy area...
Bottom line is:
1.) I have no good reason to believe this photo's been doctored.
2.) I have no good reason to believe this photo shows bigfoot.
Why could it not just be another hiker? Doesn't that seem way more likely? I'd say the guy who took the photos would look pretty much alike from the same distance.
Another question is: Where is the third picture? From the report:
Right after I took the first shot (1) it moved or stood up so I took another picture (2). It then moved towards the south, away from me. I then had to reajust because the wind was so strong. It was difficult to move because the snow was waist deep.
I got closer to a rock to steady myself and took another picture (3). It was then was moving down the hill.
(Numbers in brackets by me)
So, my guess is, the third picture wasn't mysterious enough and maybe showed on closer examination that it's no BF at all, but rather BS...
FR