As a master of Photoshop, one can accomplish amazing feats of image manipulation. With the ability to correct color, apply filters, crop, and resize images, the digital tool is a virtual playground of endless editing options. But while most Photoshop pros utilize the software for professional graphic design, James Fridman, a British digital artist, employs it for a different purpose: to troll the Internet.
Fridman is renowned for taking requests from people worldwide to “fix” their photos. However, instead of following their directions, the witty artist interprets their requests quite literally, creating some truly bizarre and hilarious images.
Though he has been making funny photo edits for several years, people online can’t seem to get enough of his work. Everyone who submits their photo to Fridman knows they will get something amusing in return, but the Photoshop expert always manages to deliver the unexpected.
In one recent example, he was asked to remove a man who “photobombed” a woman’s portrait. Rather than removing the man from the picture, Fridman blended his face into a rock and added a witty response: “What friend?” In another, a girl requested that Fridman turn her boyfriend into a boxer rather than give him beefy muscles and boxing gloves. He turned him into a boxer dog.
Each Photoshop creation is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, but Fridman stresses that he doesn’t want to alter a person’s appearance in favor of societal beauty standards. For example, when a girl with Muscular Dystrophy asked Fridman to “straighten [her] arms” to make her look “normal,” he returned the image unchanged and wrote, “Acceptance of your true self can be a constant battle. The term ‘normal’ is a propaganda technique modern society uses to make us conform to a pre-existing standard.” The artist adds, “If people can’t look past your physical condition, they are most likely not worth your attention. A pretty young girl with a genuine smile and beautiful hair is all I see in this picture.”
When he’s not Photoshopping, Fridman runs his own foundation that helps support children and young people affected by social issues. He uses humor and art to help kids develop confidence, resilience, and self-esteem.
