Which response relates to you? : 'Wow, it must have been a great trip?!' Or 'How do you create these awesome, unbelievable shots?' Photo manipulation is simply compositing 2 or more photos together to make one picture. Using some of the basic Photoshop tools you can achieve a semi reliable image, with a few more hours work, a masterpiece fit for any platform.
One of the core processes to me is achieving complete ownership of all content and of course, the final product. To take the shots yourself and combine them in post. That is the dream. But look at the shot above.... If you took that shot of the elephant the background wouldn't matter. As the subject will look amazing no matter-what. No one takes photos just to have them blended! Now that is the essence of photo manipulation and graphic design....

There is no correct way to design. Learning how to use Photoshop and Lightroom are industry standards but will only give you the tools to produce your own work. Graphic Designers want everything yesterday, while photographers can wait for the right moment, a unique blend but done right it will produce stunning results. Combining the two takes a lot of work and time, but for those who struggle to find the time, we thank Creative Commons!