Several observations from that picture:
1. It was probably taken at the Secret Service Skeet competition. It is not his shotgun because it is righthanded.
2. The smoke is unusual and could be explained as incomplete combustion of the powder due to low pressure at combustion time. Modern powder burns faster and more thoroughly at higher pressures. Shot guns run from 8,000 to 12,000 psi. I suspect that he shot a short loaded blank and there was no shot in the round.
3. There is no recoil in the picture. The cheek should be distorted, the shoulder should be distorted and his body position would be different, more upright as the back absorbed the recoil.
4. Not only is his stock position on the shoulder wrong it would be very painful as there is only half of the stock butt on his shoulder. Very painful with a 12 gauge. Screaming pain. I can also surmise from the shoulder position that he has never shot a rifle.
5. I am not sure where the smoke on the left side port went. It may have been photoshopped out. Or perhaps he never fired the gun and all the smoke was photoshopped in. It is simply missing.
He’s a newbie.
Hubby is not expert at guns but is a lefty and has used a shotgun. He saw the pic and only said "THAT would HURT."
Good observations, except a real close look at the stock makes me think that it’s not just shadowing, but that it is indeed a lefthanded gun. Note the top edge as it meets his thumb. I think that those in charge of such a situation would make sure he had a lefthanded gun. I don’t know anything about the place, but, I would think that it is well equipped for all sorts of high ranking visitors. Our tax dollars at work.
I would like to see similar pics of the same gun and ammo, with fast frames of the smoke, for comparison.
It’s probably just the vantage point, but, it looks as if his nose is jammed down on top of the stock. Warning to next user of the gun: Check for boogers.
For the skeptics of this pic, that are thinking of it being taken there in the last few weeks: The green leaves are gone this time of year in that locale.