Photo manipulation has been in the news a lot of late, not least when it comes to generative AI and technology in general. Google Pixel 8 phones have been blamed for altering pictures in such a way that they don't reflect real life anymore, and the iPhone allegedly took a particularly freaky photo that hit the 'net.
However, tech is just the latest scapegoat. Altering photos has been around forever and at least AI seems to be making a better job of it than some human equivalents.
Before generative AI and overzealous software automations, Photoshop was often blamed for the manipulation of images to make them "perfect" and less realistic. However, it's not the software's fault, it's the user in those cases – and it's even worse when they're not actually very good at it.
Here are three seasonal examples of Photoshop fails that should give you a giggle and maybe make you think that AI isn't so bad after all.
Hat's off!
"Hold on ladies! Roger, can you now go get the Santa hats and we'll try that one more time... what do you mean you forgot them?
"Oh, for... never mind, we'll just add them using Photoshop later and no-one will notice."
There's nothing that says "festive" as much as 2D Santa hats superimposed badly onto some, mostly disappointed looking employees.
Legs 11
What do you do when you suddenly realise that the two best photos don't quite match up, but you still like the juxtaposition of a child staring lovingly into his mother's eyes and want to stitch them together? Why, just make her a bit taller, of course.
Either that or the retailer/magazine paid for extensive surgery ahead of the shoot. She'd certainly be handy to have around when putting up the Christmas decorations, although shopping for jeans at Primark might be a bit trickier.
How to get ahead...
Daddy might not have made it home in time for Christmas, but he could always be added to the family photo afterwards. It'd be hard to see the join, surely?
Either that or the new advertising campaign for Head & Shoulders took things way too literally.
