50 Times People Requested Photo Edits And Made The Internet Laugh (New Pics)

Every so often, someone posts online begging for a simple favor: “Can someone remove the photobomber behind me?” or “Please fix my selfie, make me look 10 pounds thinner!” It seems innocent enough, after all, photo editing tools are everywhere, and a quick touch-up can boost confidence. But enter the world of internet volunteers, and you’ll soon see that not all goodwill comes without a side of mischief.

The phenomenon begins when someone asks a forum or social-media group for help taming their digital image. Maybe they want a flawless complexion, maybe they need a missing background element restored. What they don’t expect is the collective creativity (or cruelty) of netizens armed with Photoshop skills and too much free time.

Within minutes, their photo is returned…with the requester’s head pasted onto Bigfoot, or surrounded by a swarm of animated bees, or given a jawline so sharp it could cut glass. Trolling photo-edit requests has become its own odd internet sport. For many, the thrill lies in the absurd, taking a bland ask and turning it into an over-the-top gag.

A birthday cake in someone’s hands becomes a nuclear explosion. A beach sunset morphs into a scene from a sci-fi thriller. People laugh, upvotes explode, and the original requester is left deciding whether to laugh along or cringe. There’s a social dynamic at play here. On one hand, communities rally around genuine creative assistance, helping students clean up a yearbook portrait or restoring a faded family snap.

On the other hand, a little bit of collective trolling cements in-group camaraderie. It’s a way for anonymous strangers to bond over inside jokes and test the limits of Photoshop’s power. The more ludicrous the result, the more it builds group identity: “We’re the ones who turned Bob into a Martian overlord.”

This is why groups like this exist, to share both the most hilarious examples and just to have a laugh. In a sense, they are self-perpetuating. The more folks are exposed to this idea, the more people are likely to do it themselves. Indeed, there is a pretty solid chance that many people upload requests like this specifically to perhaps get some funny edits.

Of course, there’s a fine line between playful ribbing and outright mean-spiritedness. Some trolls cross it, mocking someone’s appearance or distressing an already self-conscious requester. This underside of the phenomenon highlights how easy it is for good intentions to slide into public shaming. A humble request for help can quickly snowball into a lesson in internet cruelty.

At its best, though, the Culture of the Troll-Edit is a reminder of the digital community’s dual nature: creative generosity and chaotic pranksterism, side by side. It shows how apps and online groups can unleash collective artistry, and collective mischief, in equal measure. So the next time you see a “Please edit this photo!” post, brace yourself. You might just get the perfect portrait…or find yourself starring in the cyber-slapstick comedy of the century.