Toyota photoshopped the Prius to make it look less "bold" on the website

Which one are you saying is photoshopped? I appreciate something is going on, considering the background and the "spinning" wheels in the top image, but the headlights? Might just be different angle?

 

agreed, i think it's just the angle and color difference.

 

The image you are referring to (with what appears to be spinning wheels) appears to have been pulled from this image:
http://www.toyota.com/responsive/images/gallery/photos-videos/2016/prius/PRS_MY16_0001_V001.jpg?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-quality=90&downsize=1228px:*

So yes, it was photoshopped. But only in the sense of re purposing an existing photo. They appear to have eliminated the reflection of the street lights and eliminated the fact the headlights were on.

The real question is why does it matter?

 

Google "wide angle lens" and it's effects. Used when you want to make the middle of the image larger than the rest.

 

Ha ha that's funny Toyota themselves felt the need to change the way it appears. How they did it is irrelevant IMO.

Well one can always blame reduced sale figures on oil prices but there is absolutely no denying that had Gen 4 been made to look more normal yet modern, sleek, sporty, etc. the car would sell even better especially considering what they have managed to achieve technically.

 

Was it more a case of the second image being photo shopped to look "less bold" or the first image being photo shopped to look more radical and bolder?

I would say more the latter.

But in either case, most advertising images get touched up. Have you ever had a fast food hamburger that looked anything like the picture in the ad?

There is a difference in angle and "image" here...but not enough that I think either is disingenuous.

 

Why did you stop there? You were getting more handsome by the shot...

 

I think the reason the headlights are less bulbous in the photoshopped photo on the website is due to the editing necessary to remove the fact the headlights were on in the original shot. Obviously the editing they did inadvertently altered the outline of the bulb.

I suspect we're reading way too much into why they chose that particular photo to modify in the way they did.

 

I like your drawings Nam those are good

 

I would not agree with your assertion that sales numbers have been affected by the design as well as fuel prices. "Normal, modern, sleek and sporty" are all words open to a great deal of individual interpretation. You might interpret them differently from me. And although you might find it unappealing, the car is too new on the market to decide that the majority of potential buyers see it with your eyes.

 

The car has been on sale for less than a month. It's a little early to jump to any conclusions about the impact of the design on the sales numbers so far.

Every successive generation of the car has gone through appearance changes, some dramatic (from Gen 1 to Gen 2), some more subtle (Gen 2 to Gen 3). I doubt the redesigns were based on projected sales that were 3 or 4 years in the future.

 

considering the steel plant explosion, it's going to be hard to know sales figures for awhile. and i suppose one can always discount gasoline prices, if one has a hidden agenda. we'll see how alt fuel vehicles do acrost the board.

 

I'm in the minority, here, but I'm enamored of the car and its looks. I've test driven a Four Touring. I hope to buy one soon. If I could, I would go out tonight and get one. I think it looks really great. For reference, I'm a 40+ male (pretty geeky, admittedly).

 

You've got an eye of a tiger Nam - it does appear that the front corner of the "spinning wheels" Gen 4 on the website has been softened a bit with a taste of Gen 3 styling, or perhaps the image ended up the way it did because the illustrator was so used to drawing Gen 3's. The below photos show the differences between the styles of the Gen 4 and Gen 3 at the front corner.

 

I've also noticed you see few shots of the rear end in marketing ads. It seems they are more proud of the front end than the back? Hmmm....

 

it's just the angle in all likelihood. highly doubt toyota would nitpick that. they are marketing their car on bold and exciting.

if you notice the second pic, the car is turned clockwise more to where you can't see the lower part of the front headlight (it disappears from view) it also looks like a slightly wider lens was used. you'd be amazed at how much you can change an image by moving 1 or 2mm in any direction at close distances and wide focal lengths.

(I have 12 years of photography and editing experience)