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50 Unphotoshopped Pics That Look Fake But Are 100% Real (New Pics)
CuriositiesMAY 21, 2022

50 Unphotoshopped Pics That Look Fake But Are 100% Real (New Pics)

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Real-life can be far, far weirder than fiction and what our imaginations can sometimes come up with, and we’ve collected the proof. What you can do with a camera is practically magical, and we’ve got a lot of respect for all types of photographers (aka Light Wizards). They can use perspective and reflections to their advantage to stage some truly mind-bending images.
Bored Panda has painstakingly hand-crafted this list, featuring some of the most impressive and coolest photos from the internet, which are incredibly hard to believe aren’t photoshopped. However, they’re completely ‘natural’ and unedited, with all of their illusory effects captured either intentionally or entirely by accident.
Scroll down for some truly impressive unedited pics that look photoshopped to the max, and upvote your fave ones. If these photos inspired you to try something similar, we’ve got an extra dose of phantasmic and fantastical photography motivation for you right over here.
Professional photographer Dominic Sberna was kind enough to answer our questions about photography, recognizing photo-editing in images, and the importance of camera angles. You'll find our full interview with him below, so be sure to scroll down and read his thoughts, Pandas.

#1 Clouds In Harrodsburg, Kentucky. No Filter

Clouds In Harrodsburg, Kentucky. No Filter
666points

Bored Panda wanted to get pro photographer Dominic's opinion on what amateurs can do so they can react to awesome photo opportunities and miss as few of them as possible.

"Take your camera wherever you go if feasible or at least bring it with you if it's not on your person," he said that having your gear with you is incredibly important if you want to be ready for everything.

#2 Schrödinger's Cat

Schrödinger's Cat
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662points

#3 Cat God

Cat God
661points

"Reacting to a quick situation is just something that takes practice and doing it over and over. Luck is probably a factor too, depending on the situation of course," he told us that amateur photographers shouldn't stress out too much about missing good opportunities; their ability to react to events will improve with time and practice.

According to Dominic, there isn't a foolproof way of knowing whether or not a photo has been subtly photoshopped, unless you know what you're looking for. Becoming familiar with different editing techniques and what is physically possible without manipulating an image is how you can understand if someone has altered the image.

#4 Perfectly Timed Picture Of My Firework

Perfectly Timed Picture Of My Firework
660points

#5 The Clearest Water In The World, Melissani Lake, Greece

The Clearest Water In The World, Melissani Lake, Greece
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620points

#6 The Perspective Makes This Dog Look Like A Big Monster

The Perspective Makes This Dog Look Like A Big Monster
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618points

Meanwhile, when it comes to mind-bending images, Dominic has had some experience with them, but they're not what he focuses on usually. "I have taken some unique reflection photos, but it is not something I do regularly. Getting different angles also depends on the situation and what I'm trying to achieve with an image," he said that the angle from which a photographer snaps a pic can change a lot about image, and it all depends on the pro's intent.

Previously, Bored Panda had an in-depth interview about ‘all-natural’ images and editing pics with professional photographer Anna Chii.

“Often when people hear the word ‘Photoshop,’ they imagine Instagram girls which make their faces unrecognizable by “photoshopping” them and think that Photoshop is used just for that. Actually, people mistake it for other apps like ‘Facetune.’ Photoshop is a software package for working with digital imagery and is used not only for photography but also for design, video editing, photo manipulations, and more,” photographer Anna told us earlier.

#7 My Black Cat Looks Like My White Cat’s Shadow

My Black Cat Looks Like My White Cat’s Shadow
590points

#8 What A Cold Front Looks Like

What A Cold Front Looks Like
584points

#9 This Window Makes My Backyard Look Like It’s In 4 Different Seasons

This Window Makes My Backyard Look Like It’s In 4 Different Seasons
551points

“When we talk about photography, there is no single proven way of using this software when it comes to editing pictures. Every single photographer or retoucher has his or her own style, way of editing, or set of skills used for making the best photos possible,” she told us.

“That’s why photoshopped pictures can look wildly differently: from waxy or plastic faces to an absolutely natural look. From drastic changes in face or body features to just color corrections. From creating a fantasy world around your subject to simply removing unwanted objects from the background,” Anna explained that every photographer has their personal approach.

“From personal experience, after many years of learning and experimenting, shooting takes the least amount of time in comparison to the other parts of the process—planning and retouching,” she said that the editing part can be very time-intensive.

“I mostly take portraits. Usually, my clients are not professional models with heavy makeup, which covers all of their imperfections and barely requires any retouching. My models are people who want to have lovely pictures of themselves, who want to portray their lives and experience fun time while freezing those moments—without pressure or fear of being imperfect,” she told us a bit about how she works and what her professional philosophy is.

#10 He’s Charging Up For His Special Attack

He’s Charging Up For His Special Attack
550points

#11 Colour Gradient Moss

Colour Gradient Moss
541points

#12 The Sun Hit This Freshly-Paved Tarmac Just Right And Made A Real-Life Rainbow Road Through Polarized Lenses

The Sun Hit This Freshly-Paved Tarmac Just Right And Made A Real-Life Rainbow Road Through Polarized Lenses
535points

“I do believe that my clients need to get the best result they can get. And making a regular picture great requires not only taking pictures correctly from a technical point of view, but also adding some magic to each and every one of them,” she said that she retouches every single photo, even if it’s just a bit.

“And it’s not about changing features, or making people look perfect and not representative of the way they look in real life. It’s about the small details, which make the photo stand out without making it look unrealistic. It’s about colors and lighting. About mood,” she explained why editing photos is so important, overall.

“Every person that I shoot has their own story and a unique aura. I want to make my pictures reflect the feeling I get when being with the person and share it throughout the final image. And it can take from half an hour to a couple of hours per image. Depends on the emotion I want to portray in the final picture,” Anna told Bored Panda.

#13 A Shot Of Burning Man That Looks Like A Solar System

A Shot Of Burning Man That Looks Like A Solar System
522points

#14 Cat Nearly Gave Me A Heart Attack

Cat Nearly Gave Me A Heart Attack
521points

#15 Veterans' Cemetery

Veterans' Cemetery
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508points

“If we are talking about portraits, I do believe that if you have a great team (assistant, makeup artist, hairdresser, stylist), you have a beautiful location with the lighting set up correctly, you have a model with clear skin and everything is under your control, then you can take really good pictures and editing could be almost unnecessary,” she said.

“But usually, you don’t have all the people and props which could help to create a great image. When you work alone, sometimes mistakes slip past the cracks as you need to cover many areas during the photo shoot,” the photographer pointed out that photographers can’t do everything perfectly, so they end up fixing small mistakes during the postproduction process.

#16 My Broken Antenna On My Car Looks Like A Half Sunken Boat

My Broken Antenna On My Car Looks Like A Half Sunken Boat
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495points

#17 Space Needle In Seattle Over Clouds Looks Like The Cloud City From Star Wars

Space Needle In Seattle Over Clouds Looks Like The Cloud City From Star Wars
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492points

#18 The Pic I Took Of This Fire Looks Like A Deer

The Pic I Took Of This Fire Looks Like A Deer
491points

“For me, Photoshop is not about changing the person in the picture, but about enhancing the quality of the picture. Correcting shadows and lighting, enhancing colors, correcting small details like wrinkles on clothes or makeup makes a huge difference,” she said.

“It can be done with the help of professionals—makeup artists, assistants, stylists. Before and during the shoot they will correct makeup, clothes, hair, hold a reflector for better light. And it can also be done during post-production in Photoshop. Almost the same result, simply a different way of achieving it. Producing a quality photograph requires time and effort. So Photoshop is not an easy way to get beautiful pictures with just a few clicks of a mouse.”

According to the pro photographer whether or not someone ends up editing their photos depends on the purpose of their pictures.

#19 Any Interstellar Fans Out There?

Any Interstellar Fans Out There?
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491points

#20 My Cat Sitting On The Back Of My Chair Makes It Look Like She’s Wearing A Leather Jacket

My Cat Sitting On The Back Of My Chair Makes It Look Like She’s Wearing A Leather Jacket
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452points
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