Photo manipulation is the process of altering a photograph in some way, which can be subtle or dramatic. While these types of changes were previously accomplished physically altering a negative or a print of an image, technological advancements have made the use of computers much more common. Photo manipulation can be done for artistic reasons, such as to make an image stand out or to combine artistic beauty and imagination with real images. However, there have been numerous instances where altered photographs have been used for commercial or political purposes in controversial ways.
Over the history of photography as a medium, the methods which artists have performed photo manipulation have evolved significantly. Previously, these changes had to be made physically to the negatives or prints of a photograph that were used to capture the image. To create artistic images, techniques like creating a double-exposure taking two images on one piece of a negative were frequently used. Direct photo manipulation, which involves physically cutting and pasting parts of a photograph to change it, could be used to alter a print.
Photo manipulation has become easier than ever before thanks to advances in computer software and the widespread use of digital photography. Programs that are specifically designed to allow someone to alter images in a variety of ways can easily be used to make changes to pictures. This software can be used for artistic purposes to create images that are clearly based on photographs but depict impossible scenarios. Other types of photo manipulation have also been simplified, including simple changes such as converting a color image to black and white and more complex changes such as superimposing one person’s head onto another’s body.
People have found it easier to create images for fraudulent or deceptive purposes because of the dramatic photo manipulation possibilities. For example, computer programs can easily remove someone from a photograph in order to alter evidence in a trial or public opinion. For decades, politicians have used photo manipulation to remove someone from a photograph who has fallen out of favor with the public. In some political campaigns and commercials, altered images have been used to make a person or product appear unattractive or untrustworthy; these types of actions have typically elicited controversy and outrage once discovered.