The concept of manipulation existed way before the birth of Adobe Photoshop in 1990. According to the National Science and Media Museum, it came as “darkroom trickery,” where photographers used clever layering techniques in their negatives.

The first example of this happened in the 1920s by Russian artist Alexander Rodchenko, who used scissors for a literal cut-and-paste method to create a collage using multiple photos.

Photoshop and photo manipulation are now considered art forms. In 2020, the Yorkshire Photographic Union featured digitally enhanced photographs in its collection. 

The annual competition dedicated an entire category to altered realities through images to celebrate the modern take on photography through digital technology.

The social media era also brought about a new age in photo manipulation. All of a sudden, everyone who owned a smartphone had the ability to enhance their pictures through filters. 

For professional photographers, these advancements are a blessing and a curse. While they provide a convenient method of capturing moments, they also offer a distorted view of reality.

“Selfie culture” has heavily contributed to reality distortion through Instagram filters and has reached alarming levels. For clinical education specialist Krista Crotty, it may induce self-esteem and mental health issues, especially for younger people. 

“In between that authentic self and digital self lives a lot of anxiety, because it’s not who you really are. You don’t look like the photos that have been filtered,” Crotty told MIT Technology Review in a 2021 interview.

However, photo manipulation isn’t all bad. As graphic design service provider Color Clipping Ltd. points out, it’s a way to make photographs stand out by stirring emotions, apart from improving quality. It also boosts one’s brand, as it can help with product recall. 

Ultimately, it’s about finding the balance between reality distortion and enhancement. But if you want to achieve eye-catching images organically, as seen on this list, timing is your best friend.

Now, we’d like to hear from our readers. Which of these photos stood out to you? For photographers, do any of these concepts pique your interest? Let us know in the comments!