Photographic editing technology has led to a popular style among artists: digitally manipulated photographs. The manipulations include composites, syntheses, as well as alterations of color, shape, composition, and perspective. These manipulated photographs carry impressive effects and shock value, but more importantly, they communicate significant messages to viewers. Photographic manipulation is popular among college students as well. They edit, crop, and suture images at ease with the availability and prevalence of manipulation software. However, in terms of teaching photographic manipulation, there exists a body of literature dedicated to manipulation techniques, but no literature addressing the conceptual process college students go through, nor how their digital manipulation can be deciphered and strengthened philosophically. This article presents an example of how photographic educators can better understand students' manipulated photographs by identifying the types of knowledge provided by their work. Having a theory-based understanding of student work not only enables instructors to enhance students' work by providing insightful suggestions with theoretical underpinnings, but also has implications for how photographic manipulation can be studied and taught.