A constructed image is a photograph that has been deliberately staged or manipulated by the artist as opposed to documenting reality. Controlling elements such as setting, subjects, and props, to create a specific curated narrative. Constructed imagery exists as a creative alternative to storytelling, it allows artists to control the meaning instead of just capturing what is there and what story that tells. They can be used for a variety of purposes including creativity (the cottingley fairies), political power (Stalin), artistic exploration (Cindy Sherman), commercial use (advertising), and more. ​

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Throughout history, constructed imagery has been used in many different ways. One of the first documented pieces is "the cottingley fairies" which stunned people at the time as they couldn’t figure out how it was done as constructing images wasn’t a well-known technique yet. It has also been used to create fake news and stories, for example the image of John Kerry attending an anti-war event with Jane Fonda, which never happened despite the photo of them there together. Currently, image construction is very common and very accessible. With tools like photoshop, it is very easy to manipulate an image to curate a story that wasn’t originally captured in the scene.​

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What makes an interesting constructed image is whether the artist goes beyond simply staging a scene and instead creates a clear and engaging narrative that viewers can build on and interpret. The most effective constructed images often create tension between what is reality and what isn't, leaving the viewer with more questions than answers. Also leaving space for interpretation, this way the image can be connected with and not just viewed.