MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A practical joke by a local photographer, played on his friends, had some hot under the collar and others slightly concerned when an image of a large shark tailing their vessel went "viral" on social media.
Jaco Volgraaff was to join friends on a cruise in the bay on Tuesday, 27 August, but due to work engagements had to cancel at the last minute.
When his friends, then out at sea, notified him that they were close to where he lives in the block of flats, Nautica, De Bakke, he decided to fly his drone out to them to take a few photographs of the excursion.
"Once I looked at the images, I decided to play a prank on them," Volgraaff explained. He found an image of a large shark and using his skills with Adobe Photoshop, placed it on his own image until it seemed as if the shark was tailing the boat.
"When I sent them the image later on, they were quite shocked. Eventually, I told them it was doctored." The image, once it got on to social media and started circulating, spread like wild fire.
"Even someone working in Angola commented on the photograph and how it was making waves there."
Judging from the comments made on social media, not everyone thought it equally funny. But it just goes to show, once again, the power of social media.
"One lady was arguing with a friend that the image was indeed real. When I told her it was not, she called me 'jou pes'," Volgraaff chuckled.
The post on social media that created the fuss.
* On 1 April 2016, the Mossel Bay Advertiser reported on a "giant squid" as an April Fool's joke. The Citizen reported that it was among the top four best April Fool stories that year.
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