A system and process for creating an interactive digital image, which allows a viewer to interact with a displayed image so as to change it with regard to a desired effect, such as exposure, focus or color, among others. An interactive image includes representative images which depict a scene with some image parameter varying between them. The interactive image also includes an index image, whose pixels each identify the representative image that exhibits the desired effect related to the varied image parameter at a corresponding pixel location. For example, a pixel of the index image might identify the representative image having a correspondingly-located pixel that depicts a portion of the scene at the sharpest focus. One primary form of interaction involves selecting a pixel of a displayed image whereupon the representative image identified in the index image at a corresponding pixel location is displayed in lieu of the currently displayed image.