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You’ve likely seen a photo that, at first glance, made you think, “Is this even real?” The image was so captivating that it made you wonder if it had been Photoshopped. And with technology these days, the possibilities are endless.

But no. None of these pictures underwent any form of manipulation. They were just perfectly timed, with the right blend of colors and shapes in one snapshot. These have been shared around the internet, and we’ve picked out those that stood out.

Scroll through, and if you’re into photography for a living or as a hobby, these could give you some ideas on what to shoot next.

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#1 Sunset At Henley Beach, South Australia 24/8/24

#2 Summoning Demons

#3 I Caught A Rainbow In A Clear Mineral Selenite. It’s Looks Like Marvel’s Infinity Stone

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.

#4 A School Of Jellyfish Congregated Under This Boat

#5 This Is Not AI, But Two Buildings In Łódź Photographed By Me From Such A Perspective That It Would Seem That They Constitute A Whole. 📸the Światowit Hotel Being Demolished With The Zus Skyscraper In The Background. A Thread About A Small Project That I Completed In February This Year On The Subject Of Łódź Contrasts

#6 Sunrise In Alice Springs, NT, Australia

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.

#7 My Friends Jacket Is Made Entirely Out Of Reflective Material… This Is What A Picture With Flash Looks Like

#8 This Year’s Last Supermoon Rising Over Santa Cruz’s Walton Lighthouse

#9 Doggo Is Blessed

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.

#10 Golden Himalayan Mountains

#11 My Dad Took This Photo Of “White Shadows” That Appeared When Only The Snow Around The Shadows Melted

#12 Levitating Water

“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.

#13 I Took This Photo Of The Moon With A 3D-Printed Telescope And My Smartphone

#14 I’ll Just Take This

#15 Hades And His Rainbow Colored Nose

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.

#16 Twice The Fun With None Of The Mess!

#17 This Diving Photo I Took Of My Friend Makes It Look She’s Doing A Handstand On Water

#18 A Pixelated Cat

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!