Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop
The Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition | Sponsored by Adobe
John Paul Pennebaker
Sealed Power Piston Rings, 1933
Gelatin silver print
1934 Art and Industry Exhibition Photograph
Collection, Baker Library Historical Collections,
Harvard Business School, Boston, Mass.
Grete Stern
Dream No. 1: Electrical Appliances for the Home, 1948
Gelatin silver print
The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Twentieth-Century Photography Fund, 2012
(2012.10)
Frank Majore
Follow the Queen, 1987
Inkjet print
Collection of the artist
Jerry N. Uelsmann
Untitled, 1969
Gelatin silver print
The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Twentieth-Century Photography Fund, 2011
(2011.407)
Martha Rosler
Red Stripe Kitchen, from the series “House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home,” 1967–72,
printed early 1990s
Chromogenic print
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Purchase,
Anonymous Gift, 2002 (2002.393)
Think Adobe® Photoshop® software invented the art of image manipulation? Think again. As this vibrant new Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition shows, people have been manipulating photographs since the medium was introduced in the 19th century. Sponsored by Adobe, Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop includes two hundred photographs that were manipulated for artistry, novelty, politics, news, advertising, fashion, and other ends. Don’t miss this show which is both a feast for the eyes and a thoughtful reflection on how photography shapes our perceptions of the world. Learn more
Learn more about Photoshop
Explore the links below for an introduction to Adobe Photoshop software.
Unidentified American artist
Man on Rooftop with Eleven Men in Formation on His Shoulders, 1930 Gelatin silver print
Collection of George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester
Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
To celebrate the Met’s Faking It exhibition, Adobe invited people everywhere to show off their own photo manipulation skills.
Each week for several weeks prior to February 6, we posted a different exhibition photo to use as an inspiration. Contestants submitted their own interpretations of the photos’ themes for a chance to win a copy of the exhibition catalogue.
Contestants who included screencasts showing how they created their images have a chance to win the Grand Prize—a trip for two to see the exhibition in person in D.C. or Houston!
The contest is now closed, but we invite you to view the submissions and find your favorites.
SEE CONTEST ENTRIESPhotoshop on Twitter and Facebook
Join the worldwide community of Photoshop fans for tips, tutorials, news, and conversation.
Download the Met’s Faking It app
Put your eyes to the test! This fun quiz app complements the exhibition by challenging you to spot which photos have been manipulated and why.
Get the catalogue
This hardcover exhibition catalogue includes more than 200 images created between the 1840s and 1990s with methods such as overpainting, multiple exposure, negative retouching, and more. Learn more
