# Origin Of "Shit Happens" Photo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165 "2010-06-14T17:30:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Amber\_in\_Treasury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amber_in_Treasury)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/1 "2010-06-14T17:30:29Z")
[This picture](http://www.motivatedphotos.com/?id=2414) sort of intrigues me. When and where was it taken? Which parts of it are doctored/photoshopped and which aren’t? What is the straight dope on this apparent “imminent fail”? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/2 "2010-06-14T17:42:54Z")
I assume it was staged. No need for photoshop. Why would there be a camera taking photos of an underpass like that? Why would a convertible be following a porta-potty truck that closely? You can make that blur with a bit of camera motion and shutter speed, or you could do a little work in photoshop to add that if you needed to. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/3 "2010-06-14T18:02:05Z")
I think the truck and cars were shopped in. The car and truck do not appear to be moving at any remarkable speed given that the wheels are not really blurred at all. This might be explained by a fast shutter speed were it not for the blurred background. I think that the stripes on the road appear to be too small. I believe the standard is for something like 15 ft stripes with 25 ft between stripes. Those stripes are clearly much smaller when compared to the cars which suggests the cars were scaled up to make the overpass appear shorter. I suppose it could be staged, but photoshopping it would be sooo much easier. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/4 "2010-06-14T18:38:44Z")
First, the truck is casting a shadow _in the shadow of the bridge_. Unless there’s a big mirror or something just off frame, I’m going to say that something’s been doctored. Second, if we assume the top of the portajohns is about 12’ (they’re probably lower), then the bridge looks to be at about 9-10’. That is loooooooow. 14’ is standard. A 10’ bridge is going to have big yellow and black signs pasted all over it announcing its height. However, the bridge and it’s “bridge subject to icing” sign don’t look out of scale relative to the vehicles. I’m going to guess that the vehicles and their shadows are pasted in, as are the road stripes, and that the “road” is actually a bike/pedestrian path. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/5 "2010-06-14T18:55:14Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > I suppose it could be staged, but photoshopping it would be sooo much easier. Looking at the shadows as mentioned, I agree, this wasn’t just a staged photo. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/6 "2010-06-14T22:20:30Z")
A bridge that size that could not accommodate a 7 foot tall porta john sitting on a 4 foot high truck bed (11 feet) is absurdly low. Look at the office buildings in the background, this is an urban or suburban highway area. It not some weird little bridge in the sticks. That bridge is at least 14 feet high clearance. The truck has been photoshopped in. It’s also possible you could fake the shot with a forced perspective angle. The way the bridge angles up and up and away it’s possible there was no photoshopping needed. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/7 "2010-06-14T22:30:15Z")
I think the bridge was lowered. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-shit-happens-photo/543165/8 "2010-06-14T23:08:37Z")
It looks to me like it’s a pedestrian walkway, too, which would be consistent with the presence of porta-potties in the first place (it’s probably at some public park). I could see some new employee not realizing that you need to take the long route out when you’re taking away the potties… If it weren’t for the shadows.