diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm b/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
index 65807c0575..b0bc3091e6 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/icons.dm
@@ -684,6 +684,10 @@ proc // Creates a single icon from a given /atom or /image.  Only the first argu
 		if(!noIcon)
 			world.log << "***Rendering Icon [A.type] in state '[curstate]' on layer [A.layer] in direction [curdir]" // #JMO
 			copy = image(icon=curicon, icon_state=curstate, layer=A.layer, dir=curdir)
+			if (isnull(copy)) // #JMO
+				world.log << "****Created a null!" // #JMO
+			else // #JMO
+				world.log << "****Created a thing of type [copy.type]" // #JMO
 			copy.color = A.color
 			copy.alpha = A.alpha
 			copy.blend_mode = curblend
@@ -744,6 +748,31 @@ proc // Creates a single icon from a given /atom or /image.  Only the first argu
 			if(I == copy) // 'I' is an /image based on the object being flattened.
 				curblend = BLEND_OVERLAY
 				add = icon(I:icon, I:icon_state, I:dir)
+				// This checks for a silent failure mode of the icon routine. If the requested dir
+				// doesn't exist in this icon state it returns a 32x32 icon with 0 alpha.
+				if (I:dir != SOUTH && add.Width() == 32 && add.Height() == 32)
+					// Since checking every pixel for blank isn't trivial, we make some assumptions about
+					// the content of the image to determine if it actually is blank. On a rare occassions
+					// this will cause the software to return a non-directional icon for when a
+					// directionalized one would be more appropriate. This is rare enough that this
+					// will suffice in place of a map rework that properly normalizes directions.
+					var/blankpixel=1;
+					// Check the four corners...
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(1,1))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(32,1))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(32,32))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(32,1))
+					// The thirds...
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(11,11))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(11,22))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(22,22))
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(22,11))
+					// and the center...
+					blankpixel &= isnull(add.GetPixel(16,16))
+					// If we ALWAYS returned a null (which happens when GetPixel encounters something with alpha 0)
+					if (blankpixel)
+						// Pull the default direction.
+						add = icon(I:icon, I:icon_state)
 			else // 'I' is an appearance object.
 				world.log << "***Recursing to render Icon [I:type] in state '[curstate]' in direction [curdir]" // #JMO
 				add = getFlatIcon(new/image(I), curdir, curicon, curstate, curblend)
@@ -819,4 +848,4 @@ proc/adjust_brightness(var/color, var/value)
 	RGB[1] = Clamp(RGB[1]+value,0,255)
 	RGB[2] = Clamp(RGB[2]+value,0,255)
 	RGB[3] = Clamp(RGB[3]+value,0,255)
-	return rgb(RGB[1],RGB[2],RGB[3])
\ No newline at end of file
+	return rgb(RGB[1],RGB[2],RGB[3])
diff --git a/code/modules/paperwork/photography.dm b/code/modules/paperwork/photography.dm
index c2399a3f04..67e5eb76e8 100644
--- a/code/modules/paperwork/photography.dm
+++ b/code/modules/paperwork/photography.dm
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
 	..()
 
 
-/obj/item/device/camera/proc/get_icon(turf/the_turf as turf)
+/obj/item/device/camera/proc/get_icon(turf/the_turf as turf,mob/user as mob) //#JMO Added mob/user for debug for debug
 	//Bigger icon base to capture those icons that were shifted to the next tile
 	//i.e. pretty much all wall-mounted machinery
 	var/icon/res = icon('icons/effects/96x96.dmi', "")
@@ -184,14 +184,16 @@
 	for(var/i; i <= sorted.len; i++)
 		var/atom/A = sorted[i]
 		if(A)
-			world.log << "**Calling getFlatIcon to render [A.type]" //#JMO
+			world.log << "**Calling getFlatIcon to render [A]" //#JMO
 			var/icon/img = getFlatIcon(A)//build_composite_icon(A)
+			// Check if we're looking at a mob that's lying down
 			if(istype(A, /mob/living) && A:lying)
-				world.log << "[A.type] is lying down. Making it look as such..." // #JMO;
+				world.log << "[A] is lying down. Making it look as such..." // #JMO;
+				// If they are, apply that effect to their picture.
 				img.BecomeLying()
 
-			//if(istype(img, /icon))
-			res.Blend(img, blendMode2iconMode(A.blend_mode), 33 + A.pixel_x, 33 + A.pixel_y)
+			if(istype(img, /icon))
+				res.Blend(img, blendMode2iconMode(A.blend_mode), 33 + A.pixel_x, 33 + A.pixel_y)
 	return res
 
 
@@ -225,7 +227,6 @@
 	var/icon/temp = icon('icons/effects/96x96.dmi',"")
 	var/icon/black = icon('icons/turf/space.dmi', "black")
 	var/mobs = ""
-	world << "Proof that this thing is alive! 1.0" // #JMO
 	for(var/i = 1; i <= 3; i++)
 		for(var/j = 1; j <= 3; j++)
 			var/turf/T = locate(x_c, y_c, z_c)
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@
 			if(user.client)		//To make shooting through security cameras possible
 				viewer = user.client.eye
 			if(dummy in viewers(world.view, viewer))
-				temp.Blend(get_icon(T), ICON_OVERLAY, 32 * (j-1-1), 32 - 32 * (i-1))
+				temp.Blend(get_icon(T,user), ICON_OVERLAY, 32 * (j-1-1), 32 - 32 * (i-1))
 			else
 				temp.Blend(black, ICON_OVERLAY, 32 * (j-1), 64 - 32 * (i-1))
 			mobs += get_mobs(T)