Digital image editing used to be a supremely complicated job that only highly-trained professionals could do well. Photoshop let just about anyone dabble in image editing, and a new program called 3-Sweep could do the same for 3D image manipulation. The program was created by a team of researchers from Tel Aviv University. 3-Sweep makes it possible for even the novice user to extract single objects from photographs and turn them into easily-manipulated 3D models.

In the video demonstration, 3-Sweep’s mind-blowing abilities are demonstrated on simple and complex objects in photographs. With a few exceptions, the program easily outlines the object, fills in the background, texturizes and adds volume to the object. The object can then be resized, rotated, and edited in whatever way the user desires.

The possibilities for this technology are sort of delightfully intriguing. Besides allowing for complex editing, the program could allow users to place objects from their own lives into a digital environment like Second Life. 3-Sweep will need some work before it’s ready to be sold as a consumer product, but the researchers behind it are working on getting a demo version ready for the public.

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Photo manipulation is no big deal today, but before digital tools made it simple to make the impossible appear real it took a masterful artist. An exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is paying tribute to some of the incredible photo manipulations that predate Photoshop by years, decades, and in some cases more than a century. Above, an amusing manipulation from around 1930.

Early photo manipulations used a number of techniques to create their convincing effects. Some utilized multiple exposures, which is achieved by taking more than one photo on the same negative; others used collage or overpainting methods. Above, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec fills the roles of both artist and model in this 1892 photo.

Although the act of retouching and manipulating photos is routine today, in the early days of photography there was an entirely different meaning attached to the creation of these works of art. They each redefined the camera’s relationship to the world – one fascinating impossible photograph at a time. Above, a man juggles his own head in a photo from approximately 1880.

Many photo manipulation techniques actually started out as legitimate efforts to produce perfect images. Composite photos were utilized to combine the best aspects of multiple exposures, thereby eliminating trouble spots or imperfects. Above, a manipulated photo of Colorado Springs, Colorado from around 1913.

Besides depicting impossible feats, early photo manipulations also showed events which never actually happened. That may not seem very impressive in this age of extreme photo memes, but in 1930 this photo of a zeppelin docking on the Empire State Building was undoubtedly stunning.

Of course, just like today, some of the earliest photo manipulations were meant to do nothing more than to entertain viewers. This slightly creepy 1930 photo doesn’t seem to have much of a message, but it sure is impressive. Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop runs from October 11, 2012 to January 27, 2013.

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Italian artist Alessandro Bavari considers his computer to be as much of an art tool as his camera or a set of paintbrushes. He uses Photoshop as his palette, creating a world so horrifying and multi-dimensional that it seems almost believable. Bavari’s Sodom & Gomorrah series features dark, disturbing digital imagery that calls to mind the religious artwork of the old-world masters.

The frightening works present the Biblical cities in a strange juxtaposition: ancient stories told in a decidedly modern medium. Every perversion, every vice, every indulgent act is retold in stunning digital detail.

The citizens of the legendary towns are depicted in a way that’s neither accusing nor sympathetic. The artist’s gaze is simply curious, taking in every scene with a neutral eye.

Unlike many other depictions of Sodom and Gomorrah, the denizens in Bavari’s series are not shown as evil or unhappy; they are perfectly content in their daily lives right up until the day their home is destroyed.

While the subject matter may be disturbing and dark, the art itself is exceptionally polished and sophisticated. The images are full of the kind of depth and dimension that one would expect to find in traditional photography but which is rarely found in digital art.

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It takes a lot to impress most people these days, particularly where photography is concerned. It’s simple to fake just about anything, meaning that you can never really trust what you see. Swedish photographer Eric Johansson doesn’t really want you to believe his photographs; he just wants to make weird pictures that make people smile.

Johansson’s particular form of photo manipulation is so masterful that it would be very easy to believe his pictures are real…if they just weren’t so absurd. From a man ironing his own body to a human arm growing out of a terra cotta pot, this photographer’s body of work is full of amazing, fantastical images that would never be seen if not for Eric Johansson’s skill in photo manipulation.

But the most striking aspect of Johansson’s work is the fact that his pieces manage to look real and impossible at the same time. He takes great liberty with reality, but imagination blends seamlessly with actuality in these spectacular manipulations.

Amazingly, Johansson’s only been into major photo manipulation since 2007, when he bought his first SLR camera. He now spends about 15-20 hours on each photograph, making them as realistic as possible while incorporating a very serious sense of whimsy. Even with his obvious talent in his specialty, Johansson says he’s still never entirely happy with the way his photographs look…but in his opinion, it’s a healthy amount of doubt.

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