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Photoshop plays a major role in today’s digital visual culture. It gives creators the ability to produce visually striking images across photography, editorial media, and advertising. As discussed in Session 7, Photoshop allows images to be edited and manipulated digitally, making it possible to reshape them into entirely new visual forms (Murdoch University 2026).

There are many ways this can be done. Creators can use adjustment layers to enhance an image’s colour, brightness, vibrance, hue, and saturation. Tools such as object selection also make it easier to isolate parts of an image or remove backgrounds entirely. More recently, Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature, powered by AI, has expanded these possibilities further by allowing users to remove or add elements to an image through text prompts.

These tools open up exciting creative opportunities, but they also raise important ethical questions. While Photoshop can help creators push visual boundaries, its widespread use can blur the line between creativity and reality. According to William John Mitchell (2001), digital imaging complicates the idea of visual truth. This becomes especially problematic when manipulated images are presented as though they are completely real and natural.

One of Photoshop’s greatest strengths is its power to create polished and compelling visuals. This is especially visible in editorial media, where photographs are often heavily retouched and airbrushed to produce aesthetically pleasing images for magazines. While this may enhance the visual appeal of the final image, it can also create ethical concerns. Readers may begin to see these altered images as natural, shaping unrealistic expectations of beauty and appearance.

This can have wider effects on public perception, confidence, and body image. When audiences repeatedly see idealised and heavily edited visuals, they may compare themselves to standards that are not achievable in real life. As Kleemans et al. (2018) suggest, exposure to such unrealistic imagery can negatively affect how people view themselves. Overall, Photoshop is both a powerful creative tool and an ethically complex one. It allows creators to experiment, enhance, and reimagine images, but it also comes with responsibility. When digital edits significantly alter reality, creators should be truthful about what they show to the public. One way to encourage transparency is by including a disclaimer to indicate that an image has been digitally edited. Ultimately, Photoshop should be used not only creatively but also responsibly and ethically.

References

Murdoch University. 2026. COM109 Session 7: Photoshop. Lecture slides.

Kleemans, Mariska, Serena Daalmans, Ilana Carbaat, and Doeschka Anshutz 2018. “Picture Perfect: The Direct Effect of Manipulated Instagram Photos on Body Image in Adolescent Girls” Journal of Children and Media 12(1): 93-110

William John Mitchell. 2001. The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post Photographic Era. Cambridge, MA; London: Mit Press