Retouching reality with Adobe

Default avatar.
June 18, 2013
Retouching reality with Adobe.

adobe creative daysImagine this: you're sitting at a bus stop, patiently waiting for your ride. Maybe you're checking Facebook or reading an ebook on your phone, or staring off into space, or mentally reviewing your to-do list.

You see movement out of the corner of your eye and glance over at the stop's integrated advertising. And there you are, being Photoshopped into an ad, in real time.

How would you react? The people in this video from Adobe all had positive reactions, ranging from disbelief to laughter, when they found themselves in that very position.

To promote its Creative Days events, Adobe camped out in a van across from a bus stop in Finland (or Sweden, reports differ), photographed people using a telephoto lens, and then Photoshopped them into an ad at the bus stop where they were waiting. Hidden cameras around the bus stop caught their reactions, which were edited into a compelling promotional video, seen here.

Artwork included a man turned into a Hulk-like monster terrorizing a city, a young man and woman manipulated to look like they were kissing on the top of a wedding cake (from the looks on their faces, the two likely didn't know each other before ending up in this position), and a woman seated atop a polar bear. The execution was incredible considering the setup and the fact that these were all done very quickly, in less time than it took for the next bus to arrive. The artist, Erik Johansson, shows some excellent Photoshop savvy in this prank.

The Creative Days events themselves are held all over Europe and South Africa, throughout May and June. There are 14 Creative Days total, all dedicated to creativity and expressiveness.

Did you or will you attend any of the Creative Days events? What did you think of the live Photoshopping prank? Let us know in the comments.

Cameron Chapman

Cameron Chapman is a freelance writer and designer from New England. You can visit her site or follow her on Twitter.

Read Next

3 Essential Design Trends, December 2023

While we love the holidays, too much of a seasonal theme can get overwhelming. Thankfully, these design trends strike a…

10 Easy Ways to Make Money as a Web Designer

When you’re a web designer, the logical way to make money is designing websites; you can apply for a job at an agency,…

The 10 Most Hated Fonts of All Time

Remember when Comic Sans wasn’t the butt of the jokes? Long for the days when we actually enjoyed using the Impact…

15 Best New Fonts, November 2023

2023 is almost over, and the new fonts are still coming thick and fast. This month, we’ve found some awesome variable…

Old School Web Techniques Best Forgotten

When the web first entered the public consciousness back in the 90s, it was primarily text-based with minimal design…

20 Best New Websites, November 2023

As the nights draw in for the Northern hemisphere, what better way to brighten your day than by soaking up some design…

30 Amazing Chrome Extensions for Designers and Developers

Searching for a tool to make cross-platform design a breeze? Desperate for an extension that helps you figure out the…

Exciting New Tools for Designers, November 2023

We’ve got a mix of handy image helpers, useful design assets, and clever productivity tools, amongst other treats. Some…

The Dangers of Doomscrolling for Designers and How to Break Free

As a creative professional, navigating the digital realm is second nature to you. It’s normal to follow an endless…

From Image Adjustments to AI: Photoshop Through the Years

Remember when Merriam-Webster added Photoshop to the dictionary back in 2008? Want to learn how AI is changing design…

3 Essential Design Trends, November 2023

In the season of giving thanks, we often think of comfort and tradition. These are common themes with each of our three…

30 Obsolete Technologies that will Perplex Post-2000s Kids

Remember the screech of dial-up internet? Hold fond memories of arcade machines? In this list, we’re condensing down 30…