49 Photos From The Internet That Look Like Photoshopped But Are Actually Not

There is an old saying which states that a picture is worth a thousand words. Some pictures are so mind-blowing that we immediately have a million questions. A common question that is asked when watching a picture in the modern day is, “Was this actually photoshopped?”. In this digital age, it has become more and more difficult not to post-process photographs rather than taking them straight from the camera.

But every now and then, you get to capture a picture that is truly once-in-a-lifetime, a picture that is truly remarkable. These are the moments that you can truly capture the beauty of the moment, without any enhancements. They make for some of the most memorable photographs that you can take. Here are some incredible pictures from the internet that will have you scratching your head and doing a double-take.

A Fox Or A Dog

Have you ever seen a dog you initially believed to be a fox? Given that today’s canines evolved from wolves, a near relative of foxes, it is not surprising that several breeds are sometimes mistaken as one of them. Dogs, however, have developed the ability to comprehend and interact with humans, unlike their wild cousins.

Some breeds, such as the German Spitz, Pomeranian, and Shelties, have significantly fox-like appearances than others. He also added that his pet is actually a Pomeranian and Jack Russell cross.

Are These Skulls On A Plant?

A skull is probably the first thing that comes to mind after seeing this picture. A closer inspection, however, reveals it to be far from true. This is actually what’s left of the snapdragon flower after the petals fell off. The blooming snapdragon flower has been likened to a dragon’s head, hence the name.

It not only stands out for its appearance but also has certain medicinal properties, like reducing inflammation and relieving hemorrhoids. Poultices made from them have also been applied to cancerous tumors and ulcers.

Otherworldly Cat Experience

This appears to be a rare photograph of a cat’s soul departing from his physical form…or not. This is actually just two cats being cats. One is lazily dozing off, while the other is being mischievous.

Even though kittens are known for their devotion to their families, research has shown that most adults are not very receptive to others outside of their own. While a new feline can be introduced to an existing home, it may take several days, weeks, or even months for the transition to go smoothly.

Unusual Hedgehog

While it’s quite unusual to keep hedgehogs as pets, this is certainly not the case here. This poor little creature is actually just a dog caught in the snow, though the photographer found it amusing.

Interestingly, it’s not always a good idea to have both hedgehogs and dogs as pets at the same time because both animals are most likely to hurt each other. Cats, on the other hand, are less of a threat because they typically leave the hedgehog alone after examining it.

Woman And Child Sculpture By Sam Jinks

At first glance, this photograph of a grandma cuddling her grandchild may be mistaken for a sweet moment captured on camera. But much to our surprise, this actually belongs to the Hyperrealist Sculpture 1973-2016 exhibition in the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao.

The Australian sculptor Sam Jinks created the eerily lifelike sculpture using just oil and resin. Jinks’s work has been exhibited in Australia and abroad, and this is only one of several pieces that were displayed at the museum. This particular one is called Woman and Child.

It Seems These Buildings Were Built Using 2D Technologies

Architects and artists are skilled at tricking our eyes, making us see a three-dimensional building otherwise. Atlanta’s Georgia Pacific Tower appears flat in this two-dimensional image. However, many people who have seen it in person argue that the building is actually triangular, and its sides are hidden from view.

Similar to this is the “Flat House” in Odesa, Ukraine. As seen from the street, it looks like any other block of apartments. The side of the building, however, vanishes at certain angles, making a mind-boggling optical illusion.

How Do You Unsee A Robot With Teeth?

Illusions can be created in the real world by manipulating light, shadow, shape, and contour with our creative faculties. Sometimes, when there is inadequate data, the brain fills in the blanks or fabricates an image!

Perspective can be incredibly deceiving; our imaginations will fill in the blanks to complete the trick. That’s exactly what’s happening in this picture. In reality, the room is dimly lit by lamps placed at varying distances from one another, each of which reflects the light from the others.

A Happy Little Washer Man

Even in the course of a normal day, we may stumble upon something peculiar. Every time something like this occurs, we have to pinch ourselves to be sure what we’re seeing is genuine.

Whether on purpose or not, the manufacturer of this washer made the back resemble a smiling man. Just try to put yourself in the owner’s shoes and imagine the look on their face when they turned the washer to check something and saw the cheerful chap that seemed to say, “Yay! It looks like you found me.”

The Laptop Keyboard With The “Black Dot” Illusion

A closer look at this laptop keyboard reveals that it mimics the popular black dot illusion. Seen it yet? The instant you concentrate on one row, another row will unexpectedly vanish from view, making it hard to see all of the black dots at once.

This is also called the Scintillating Grid Illusion, and it was first discovered in the ’90s. Sometimes, educators employ the black dot illusion to test students’ ability to maintain attention and focus during a lesson.

A Flat Building Again!

Here is yet another edifice in the skyline that appears to be a flat cardboard cutout rather than a real building. This is a photo of 1600 Smith Street in Houston, Texas. The historic building was constructed in 1984 and is now the ninth-tallest structure in Houston.

A large chunk of the 1990 film “RoboCop 2” was shot at 1600 Smith Street. The outside of the building and the main lobby was used as settings, with the latter transformed into a huge executive office for the film.

A Four-Legged Woman

If this photo were given to the young lady in the picture, she would probably find it funny. It looks like she has more than two legs because of the perspective from which the photo was taken.

However, a closer look will reveal that the person sitting next to her is also wearing identical shoes. While this woman may not have an abnormal number of limbs, there’s actually a congenital condition called Polymelia, where a person has an extra limb.

A Man And His Two-faced Girlfriend

Over the years, many users have generated a Hall of Fame’s worth of unforgettable, viral content, each with its own associated zeal and amazement. And here is another with this viral picture that trended on Twitter.

What at first glance seems like a regular, sweet picture of an adorable couple ended up being something else. As imagined, the internet had a field day when it was posted, sure that something out of the ordinary was going on. It was, however, revealed to be a Photoshopped photo.

Lava That Formed To Look Like A Pile Of Bodies

These lava patterns are eerie because they are interconnected like a group of twisted bodies tumbling into a pit. Laszlo Kestay, a volcanologist at the Astrogeology Science Center, took this picture of the area above the West Kamokuna lava skylight in Hawaii in 1996.

This may send our imaginations reeling, yet the sight has a rational scientific explanation. Generally speaking, park visitors are not allowed to get too close to skylights like this because of the high risk of subsequent roof collapses and the highly hot air that rushes out of the skylight.

A Different Perspective

It may seem strange at first to see a photograph of a single sunflower turned in the opposite way of the rest of the field, but this is rather common.

Sunflowers typically face east at the beginning of the day, anticipating the sun’s ascent above the horizon, and then gradually rotate back to face east again as night falls, preparing for the sun to rise the next morning. We call this phenomenon heliotropism. As the sunflower matures, it stops turning toward the sun and instead merely keeps facing east, as seen here.

Out Of Body Experience

This picture is reminiscent of the one up there with the two cats. In this situation, we have two peacocks: the common variety and the extremely unusual white variety. Though it looks otherworldly at first glance, the white peacock is actually flying over the regular peacock.

Peacocks with white feathers are unusual sightings, to say the least. Although the term “albino peacock” is commonly used to describe these birds, they are essentially Indian Blue Peafowl who have undergone an uncommon genetic mutation known as leucism.

The Wonders Of Yosemite Firefall

While this may look like molten rock, it is simply a beam of sunshine. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Yosemite National Park in hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive Firefall, which is only visible under very particular weather circumstances.

Horsetail Fall, a 2,000-foot waterfall on El Capitan rock, seems to be pouring lava rather than water at certain times of the year when the cascade is at the optimal angle to the sun. The Firefall can be seen for two weeks each year, right before and after sunset.

Under A Wave

Through the development of technology, many previously impossible feats have become achievable. Science has undoubtedly allowed people to look beyond the bounds of what the naked eye can perceive, be it through space travel or the development of technologies that would have been unthinkable centuries ago.

This stunning photograph of waves, taken from below, is a perfect illustration of this. Waterproof technology has allowed us to enjoy this breathtaking view. Also, props to the photographer who was probably drenched while waiting for the ideal shot.

Devil’s Bridge, Germany

This incredible bridge, built in the 19th century, creates the illusion of a perfect circle by reflecting the surrounding landscape. Though there are numerous “devil’s bridges” like this one all over the world; this one is called the Rakotzbrücke.

It is a man-made bridge that spans the waterway at Germany’s Kromalu Park. It was given the name, “devil’s bridge,” because many believed the bridge to be so precarious or magical that it could only have been constructed by the devil.

Methane Bubbles, Abraham Lake

This stunning photo of Alberta’s Abraham Lake has gone viral on the Internet, boosting the lake’s profile amongst vacationers all over the world. In the winter, Abraham Lake’s crystalline ice is home to a staggering number of methane ice bubbles.

Summer and winter visitors flock to this artificial lake which is located on the North Saskatchewan River in David Thompson Country. The bubbles are formed when organic debris like dead plants and animals that sink to the lake’s bottom are broken down into methane.

The Organization Of The Chinese Army

The Chinese armed forces, officially known as the People’s Liberation Army, are among the world’s largest. In addition, they are famous for their perfectly coordinated marches. Pictures like the one up top are common at events like military parades, attempts at world records, mass drills, and massive performances.

As is well-known, potential recruits must meet stringent requirements regarding their height and weight before they may join the army. No one less than 5.5 feet for males and 5 feet for women was accepted before the criteria were modified in 2014.

A Dive Site In Mexico

This stunning photograph may be a claustrophobic person’s worst nightmare, yet intrepid explorers and daring divers will recognize its incredible beauty and surreal qualities at a glance. It may look like something out of a science fiction or fantasy film, but in fact, it is very much real.

This picture was captured at Tulum, Mexico’s popular dive site, The Pit. It’s a fantastic sinkhole in the middle of the thick jungle, a tributary of the Sistema Dos Ojos that flows downstream.

A Very Satisfying Picture

Check out the drastic change between the two halves of this photo. Simply incredible! Trevor Little took this photo of a skyscraper in Manhattan in 2007.

The image’s before and after clean up segments are strikingly different, highlighting the extent to which a New York City building’s exterior can become rather filthy after being subjected to decades of car fumes, soot, and other airborne contaminants. In wetter climes, it might not be necessary to use a power washer on a building as often as it would in dry places.

This Chili With A Perfect “Mild To Hot” Gradient

How awesome is it to find this chili in varied ripeness stages? Absolutely, it is aesthetically pleasing. One would think the green portion would be the spicier part. However, it has been said that while the green ones are moderate, the matured red ones will make your eyes water

Are you curious as to why some chili is hotter than others? Capsaicinoids, specifically capsaicin, a family of organic chemicals present in all chili peppers, are what gives peppers their spicy flavor. Also, the chemical is composed differently in various peppers.

This Numbered Butterfly

Butterflies are one of the many beautiful things in nature. They are insects that we can all admire, especially for their vibrantly colorful bodies. The Diaethria species are one of the unusual butterfly species, even though there are an estimated 20,000 different varieties.

Not only do some butterflies have the number 80 on them, but some also have the numbers 88 and 89. They are commonly seen in South America and are known as Anna’s eighty-eight. Isn’t it incredible?

The Camelia Flower In All Its Glory

Just by looking at this picture, it’s easy to see why the Camelia is considered the queen of winter flowers or the rose of winter. Camellia blooms can resemble everything from roses to anemones to peonies, and there are dozens of different types to choose from.

Red, pink, white, and bicolor varieties are all possible, as are single, double, and semi-double flowers. East and south of the Himalayas, from Japan and Indonesia eastward, is where they’re mostly found. If roses ever become extinct, we know what to substitute.

Shine On And Give Life

Light, in all its forms, is the solitary creator of food for all life on Earth. Almost every living thing needs light to survive. A look at this picture and it’s easy to see what we’re talking about.

Even though other trees in the same vicinity appeared to have lost their leaves, this particular one stayed alive because of the light shining on it. Although it’s generally accepted that plants utilize solar energy for growth, few realize that low levels of ultraviolet (UV) light can also be beneficial.

Why Does This Forest Have 400 Crooked Trees?

This forest of bent pine trees is yet another example of the incredible diversity seen in the natural world. It’s the Crooked Forest in West Pomerania, Poland. It’s definitely one of the weirdest woodlands you could visit today.

There is still some mystery about the origin of the grove’s peculiarly shaped trees, which were said to have been established in the ’30s. Some have hypothesized that a human tool or technique was employed to guide the trees’ development, but the actual process and motivation behind it remain a mystery.

A Painting Or A Real Life Photo?

Anyone viewing this shot will likely assume it was digitally altered or painted. It’s a real location captured here by National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting. This is a desert in Namib-Naukluft Park.

When the neighboring Tsauchab River was in full flow, it inundated the surrounding area, creating a stark contrast between the white claypan floor and the sun-burned trees that are today a popular target for photographers. Typical shots like the one up above are taken from ground level, making the distant sand dunes seem like a painted backdrop.

Hitchcock’s Nightmare

This photo could have been taken straight out of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” except that it was actually produced by nature. The user who uploaded this photo to Reddit gave it the catchy title “birdnado.”

Starlings, which often travel in large flocks known as murmurations, are the most likely suspects for making up the cluster during migration. By staying in groups, they are able to conserve energy and avoid being preyed upon. Starlings will adjust their flock formation if they notice a change in one member of the group.

As If Fires And Tornadoes Aren’t Bad Enough On Their Own

The firefighter in the picture appears to have given up hope, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. A fire tornado can do such damage. Tornadoes that are caused by fire are extremely unusual atmospheric tornado phenomena.

While they have many characteristics with regular tornadoes, such as the formation of a powerful vortex, they are significantly less common. They move quickly, sporadically, and destructively. The 1923 Tokyo fire whirl, triggered by widespread urban fires in the wake of an earthquake, is probably the worst on record. It killed about 38,000 in less than 15 minutes.

The Melting House In Paris

The design industry is confident in its abilities and never shrinks from a challenge. Just like this Melting Building. This is not a Photoshopped image, but rather a house located on Georges V Street in Paris. Its French name, “Trompe-l’oeil,” literally translates to “trick of the eye.”

Since the original structure required maintenance, a novel solution was developed: using the hoarding board to conceal the building’s facade while it was being renovated in 2007. Only these pictures remind us of the building as its renovation has since been completed.

The Largest Salt Cave In The World

This picture is not of extraterrestrial invaders snatching human bodies from Earth. Actually, this was shot in Qeshm, Iran’s N3 Cave, the world’s longest salt cave. If N3 seems completely made up, this is because it is. N3 is an abbreviation.

It actually stands for the “naked three,” the explorers of the cave who stripped down to their underwear before swimming through a pool to gain access. It’s the largest salt cave in the world, and it’s full of enormous mega domes, intricate sculptures, and rivers—all made with salt!

Amazing Picture Of Where Saltwater And Freshwater Meet

This incredible image captures the moment when saltwater from the Gulf of Alaska mixes with freshwater from glacial runoff. Due to variances in density and salinity, the two bodies of water do not combine to form a single larger body of water. The saltwater and freshwater remain apart as they meet.

The meeting of the Atlantic and Indian oceans at the Cape of Good Hope is another example of such a phenomenon. The collision of two or more bodies of water can also generate strong currents.

The Tree of Life

The truth is indeed stranger than fiction sometimes, and this photo is 100% authentic. Goats in Morocco are known for their penchant for climbing argan trees. The goats climb so high because they want to eat the fruit that grows on these trees, which are also prized for their lumber and oil.

What’s remarkable is how so many goats can be perched in one tree. Unfortunately, argan forest cover has decreased by half in the last century. Although the goats help spread the seeds, they also prevent the trees from flourishing.

Pouches In The Sky

Clouds are fascinating because it’s easy to forget about them with all the looking at the ground we do, but sometimes you look up and realize you were just walking around underneath a temporary masterpiece.

This looks a bit like the opening scene of an alien invasion horror movie but in actual fact, it’s a distinctive cloud formation called Mammatus. It looks like a bunch of clustered pouches hanging on the underside of a larger cloud and its name was derived from its shapes that look like mammary glands.

Mirror Of God

Perhaps the first things that come to mind when people think about the world’s most beautiful locations are mountains, forests, posh beaches, and the like. Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, is notably absent from the list. Tourists have given it the nickname “the mirror of god” because it looks so otherworldly.

The Salar de Uyuni is home to some of nature’s most stunning species, such as pink flamingos and unique hummingbirds, despite its arid climate, sub-freezing nights, and scorching daytime temperatures.

This Huge Wind Turbine In Nevada

Most of the time, even when the wind isn’t blowing, turbines can be producing electricity from stored energy surpluses. This one is particularly impressive since it appears to be a single enormous wind turbine when, in fact, it is actually a row of 14 turbines standing in perfect alignment.

Western Nevada is the setting for this deceptive photograph by Royce Bair; based on the size of the ones in the shot, we can infer that the wind turbines seen here are quite large.

A Skull For A Home

Hermit crabs defend their vulnerable stomachs by encasing themselves in the abandoned shell of another animal. To accommodate its expanding body, a hermit crab will seek out a larger shell, but if none is available it will make do with whatever it can find on the beach.

This particular hermit looks like it was going to make itself at home in the human skull. However, this is neither a real human skull nor a real hermit crab. It’s an art sculpture called “Migratory Soul” by Josh Keyes.

Marshmallow Clouds

At first glance, this photo of cloud formations that seem like marshmallows could have been altered by a professional Photoshop artist. However, this is yet another formation of Mammatus clouds. Pilots typically avoid these clouds due to turbulence, and they often accompany violent storms or tornadoes.

People are often advised to stay indoors when it shows. Their characteristic puffy appearance results from the simultaneous ascent of hot air and sinking of cold air in pockets. The existence of these clouds was first noted in 1984.

The Floating Boat

The boat appears to be floating above the water, held in place only by its anchors. To the untrained eye, this would appear to be absurd. Normally, even an anchored item in the water will generate waves, but there don’t appear to be any here.

The boat appears to be floating in midair, towering over the water’s surface, not because the picture was Photoshopped, but because the water is crystal clear. The shadow cast by the sun’s inclination also added to the illusion.

Journey Through The Antarctic Ice

Pictured in this historic photograph is the expedition ship “Endurance,” which became trapped in Antarctic ice during a trip in 1914. Since they were unable to move the ship, the crew anticipated being freed by the spring thaw.

But the ice exerted such a force, destroying the hull, and the ship sank as a result. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they had to abandon the ship and eventually found Elephant Island. They waited there while a few of their companions went to South Georgia Island to signal for help.

Cool Ice After The Flood Makes For Such An Incredible Sight

These snow rafts look like they were placed there deliberately, but that isn’t how they developed. The photo was taken after the winter floods subsided. The ice that formed on the surface of the water stayed even after the flood levels had subsided.

Afterward, snowflakes gradually collected on the freezing platforms, creating this incredible sculpture. This must be a typical occurrence if you reside in a snowy climate. However, those from more temperate regions may not believe their eyes if they see this for the first time.

Star Wars Imperial Crest In Real Life

If we didn’t know better, we’d think someone photoshopped the Imperial Crest from the Star Wars movies into a snowflake. How else could such a recognizable shape appear in a natural formation? In actual fact, this picture was taken by Moscow-based photographer Alexey Kljatov.

He is a keen macro photographer whose interest for the past years has been producing closeup shots of snowflakes. This six-pronged shape has been created due to water’s molecular shape, which forms fractals, repeating a six-pronged shape when water freezes.

A Mirage In The Sky

Some higher power appears to have divided the sky in two, or it could just be a deceptive mirage that appears before an extraterrestrial being like Cthulhu enters our cosmos. In reality, this is a natural phenomenon known by several names like a hole punch cloud, a fallstreak hole, or a cloud hole.

It is the result of the cooling of water molecules without the presence of a solidifying medium. A hole forms in the clouds when the water molecules suddenly freeze after being stimulated by a catalyst.

A Colorful Lake Somewhere in Canada

This appears to have been taken straight from a sci-fi film; it wouldn’t have been out of place for Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock to walk into the scene at any moment. This is Lake Osoyoos, an endorheic alkali lake located in the northwest of Osoyoos, a town in Canada.

The lake has a normal appearance during the winter and spring, but during the summertime, the water evaporates, leaving behind puddles of saltwater. Due to its cultural and ecological significance, the region has been cordoned off with fencing.

The Flying Dutchman

Taken in San Francisco’s Mission District, this image here is just mind-blowing. There’s a schooner-looking thing looming over the city that some will argue is the Flying Dutchman. It is not, and neither is it a Photoshopped image.

In reality, what’s been seen here is the radio tower atop the protruding Twin Peaks. The city of San Francisco is continually shrouded in fog due to its irregular geography. As soon as it clears, the view from Twin Peaks is spectacular.

What Two-Dimensional Trees Look Likes In Real Life

As a significant cultural, historical, and architectural landmark in Austria, the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of the Baroque style on the entire continent. The baroque garden is one of the most eye-catching elements of the property.

The garden walks are lined with neatly pruned rows of trees that were first planted in the ’50s and now span more than 186 miles. Curious about the secret to keeping the garden so neatly trimmed? Gardeners would often use specially built frameworks to reach the highest branches of trees.

One Of The Most Dangerous Lakes In The World

It’s hard to believe that this peculiar saline lake exists on Earth; it seems more like the surface of another planet than any body of water we’ve ever seen. Lake Natron here is a stagnant body of water found in northern Tanzania.

Since the salt concentration and other substances in the water increases as water evaporates, microbes that flourish in these conditions are drawn to the area, giving the water its distinctive hue. The area is said to be dangerous, yet it’s a fantastic place to see incredible sights like lesser flamingos and active volcanoes.

A Scary Combination of Lightning and Volcano

Due to its frequent appearance in unusual settings, lightning pictures are surplus on the internet. This photograph captures the lightning that forms in a cloud when a volcano erupts. It’s hard to think of anything scarier than the combination of these two terrifying phenomena, but it does happen naturally.

As early as 79 AD, Pliny the Younger documented natural events after witnessing Mount Vesuvius erupt alongside “the transitory flare of lightning.” Mount Sakurajima in Japan has been hit by a series of these thunderstorms.