No, the Venus phase photos are not fake. Venus does exhibit phases, similar to the Moon. The phases of Venus are caused by its orbit around the Sun and its position relative to Earth. As Venus orbits the Sun, the portion of the planet illuminated by the Sun changes as seen from Earth, resulting in different phases.
When Venus is on the side of the Sun opposite to Earth (superior conjunction), it appears fully illuminated from our perspective and is not visible in the night sky. As it moves towards its greatest elongation from the Sun, it starts to show a crescent shape. At its maximum elongation, it appears as a half-illuminated disk (similar to a first quarter Moon). Then, as Venus approaches its inferior conjunction (when it is between the Earth and the Sun), it becomes a thin crescent and eventually disappears from view before reappearing on the opposite side of the Sun.
These phases of Venus were first observed by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century and have been documented by countless astronomers since then. The phases of Venus are well understood and have been confirmed through observation and scientific study.
The photos of Venus showing its phases are captured using telescopes and cameras, and they accurately represent the varying appearances of the planet as it goes through its different phases. So, the Venus phase photos are not fake and are a result of the planet's orbital motion around the Sun.