Surreal imagery is one of the most fascinating and enduring visual trends in photography in recent years. So, we won’t be surprised if some of you are curious about this style and drawn to give it a try.
However, there’s more to surrealism than simply using muted colors and adding a tinge of darkness to your themes and concepts. To help inspire you and give you some ideas, we suggest following these five outstanding photographers who believe have been creating some of the best surreal projects of late.
Hussam Eissa
Alexandria, Egypt-based visual artist, photographer, and graphic designer Hussam Eissa has been crafting surreal masterpieces since 2016. It all began with a visual diary featuring some of his manipulated photos to describe a phase, thought or event in his life. Today, he also creates album covers on the side both in his signature atmospheric style and with some futuristic graphic elements incorporated.
Check out his website and Behance portfolio
Dmitri Pryahin
Dmitri Pryahin from St. Petersburg, Russia is one of the most prolific surrealist photographers out there, so if you’re looking for a steady source of inspiration, his Behance portfolio is a must-follow. However, be warned that his imagery is also one of the most unique and unsettling that you’ll find out there.
He has the ability to draw the rawest emotions and primal instincts from his subjects, who are typically captured in motion. His sets, almost always in diptychs, will make you wonder where all these ideas are coming from.
Check out his Behance portfolio
Karen Jerzyk
If you work with portrait photography a lot, Boston-based Karen Jerzyk is one of the most creative and inspiring photographers to follow for her hypnotic and dreamlike concepts. With carefully and elaborately staged settings for her portraits, her projects tackle thought-provoking visual stories, as we’ve seen in her projects “Last Days of Earth” and “The Lonely Astronaut.” Her choices in color palette, props and locations for her shoot are also exemplary in bringing together her riveting ideas.
Check out her website and Behance portfolio
Simon Hjortek
Swedish filmmaker, photographer and surrealist Simon Hjortek is another multidisciplinary creative to follow for his dreamy visual concoctions of the weird and the wonderful. His projects add a mysterious vibe to otherwise mundane scenes, which can be especially inspiring if you’re looking for a different way to craft your ideas or even just look at your surroundings.
Check out his website and Behance portfolio
Jan Erik Waider
When it comes to depicting surreal landscapes, Hamburg-based Jan Erik Waider is definitely one of the masters of the craft. He typically captures the already otherworldly landscapes of Iceland and the Far North from an aerial perspective. If you’re into abstract approaches to landscape photography, atmospheric visuals and dreamy colors, his projects will surely inspire you.
Check out his website and Behance portfolio
Photos used with Creative Commons permission.