Photomanipulation is the technique of modifying a photographic image by either analog or digital means. In recent years, the term "play-by" to denote an actor used in such a photomanipulation to represent a character has risen to prominence among the online RPG community.
In Star Trek fandom, photomanipulation is often employed by various fan fiction authors to give their series/stories a greater sense of "reality."
Often, headshots of actors who have never appeared in Star Trek are placed on bodies and backgrounds in screen captures from Star Trek productions. Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery are two of the more popular actors to appear in such images.
Other productions make use of people who were close to their creators, like Star Trek: The Stoneship Files.
Fan series that use photomanipulation[]
- RIS Bouteina
- Star Trek: Arcadia
- Star Trek: Banshee Squadron
- Star Trek: Dark Horizon
- Star Trek: Distant Shores
- Star Trek: Liberty
- Star Trek: Far Horizons
- Star Trek: Pendragon
- Star Trek: Pioneer
- Star Trek: USS Providence
- Star Trek: Remington
- Star Trek: The Stoneship Files
Actors popular in photomanipulation[]
- Richard Dean Anderson (diverse sims)
- Pierce Brosnan (Star Trek: Pendragon, Star Trek: USS Providence, et. al.)
- Ben Browder (Star Trek: Pendragon, Star Trek: Remington)
- George Clooney (diverse sims, Star Trek: Dark Horizon)
- Sean Connery (Star Trek: The Adventures of Argus, Star Trek: Dark Horizon, Star Trek: Liberty et. al)
- Mel Gibson (Star Trek: Arcadia, Star Trek: Pendragon)
- Ewan McGregor (Star Trek: Pendragon, et al)
- Bruce Willis (diverse sims, Star Trek: Pendragon)