• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, April 29, 2016

Another big magazine is in hot water after publishing a celebrity photo that readers consider less than honest. This week’s photo controversy is pitting fans of tennis star Serena Williams against People, which named the iconic athlete one of the world’s most beautiful people for its May 2 issue.

While the recognition is flattering, Williams’ devoted fans were considerably less pleased when People published a photo from the shoot that was pretty clearly altered to give the athlete a narrower waist.

After Williams shared the photo on her Instagram, the magazine got an earful from indignant fans, who pointed out that someone selected as one of the world’s most beautiful people shouldn’t need touching up, much less a glaringly obvious Photoshop job.

A representative comment posted on Instagram and Twitter read: “I love her, but the bar behind her waist is so warped. Disappointing.” Another commenter opined: “'You look beautiful the way you [are]. yes this is a great picture but I don't feel this is the best representation of your actually body type.”

Some comments focused more on the (ahem) apparent lack of technical skill in the Photoshop job, which changed the appearance not only of Williams herself, but the background as well. One critic snarked: “Bad bad photoshop work... I could do better.” Another, harsher opinion read: “'Whomever is responsible for that photoshop needs to be fired. You are gorgeous, healthy and perfect with out it!”

In an apparent admission of Photoshop guilt, People withdrew the offending image and replaced it with the unaltered original version, which also appeared in the print magazine.

As noted, magazines have been sticking their foot in it with some regularity when it comes to Photoshopping subjects. Earlier this month, Kerry Washington, who won fame playing the role of Olivia Pope in “Scandal,” issued a gentle rebuke to Adweek for allegedly doctoring her photo on the cover of the ad industry pub’s April 4 issue.

According to some fans and Washington herself, Adweek lightened Washington’s skin and photoshopped her nose to be smaller for the cover photo. However, Adweek editorial director James Cooper stated that the only change made to the photo was to increase the volume of her hair.