38 Bizarre Photoshop Mistakes That Somehow Made It Online

You don't have to be a graphic designer or digital professional to be able to use Photoshop. Nowadays, the software is widely available and (almost) anyone can learn to manipulate an image. But it can be fun and entertaining, doing so is not always ethical.

People have been retouching photos long before Photoshop and other editing software entered the market. But back then, the process took more time, effort, resources, and dare we say, skill.

Today, apps like Facetune make it possible to change someone's eye color, or remove blemishes at the touch of a button. But digital manipulation can be particularly problematic when it comes to the world of fashion, beauty and aesthetics. Many argue that it promotes unrealistic or unattainable standards.

"At the same time that the creation of software facilitated the process of retouching images, it also made it possible to make several other profound body modifications, such as stretching the legs and thinning the waist and nose," explains Aela, an online school specializing in UX, Design, and Digital Products. 

The school's experts add that the manipulation that was previously used to hide an unwanted stain or pimple ended up becoming "a resource for to mold people within a standard of beauty."

Photo editing isn't just about enhancing an image, it can shape how people perceive reality. And that's why it's important to not compromise an image's authenticity when editing it.

"Edit the image so it stays true to the subject, rather than misrepresenting it," advises virtual photo editing and design studio Pathedit. The team adds that this is especially important when editing photos of people but also applies to product photography.

"Authenticity can mean the difference between a returned product and a happy customer," they say.