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GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Quick Guide
Written by Jenn Mishra
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 Surreal photography has its roots in the
surrealist movement in literature and the
visual arts in the early part of the 20th
century. The surrealists rejected the rational
way of seeing the world. Salvador Dali’s
melting clock painting “The Persistence of
Memory” is one of the most recognizable
examples of surrealist art. Surrealists took
inspiration from dreams and flights of
imagination. But it is one thing to paint
from the imagination and another to create
photographs that reject reality.

Surrealism is a form of artistic rebellion.

Artists show the human experience in odd,
often bizarre ways. Surrealism goes beyond
the ordinary and beyond what is real. But
in photography, we are very much centered
in reality. Our subjects come from the
world around us. Surrealist photographers
change reality. Sometimes they change it in
post-processing. Other times, they simply
change our perception of reality.

Photography by Quinn Buffing

Surreal photography can be based in reality. In this image, the photograph is staged
in a surrealistic style. The subject is made anonymous by the bouquet of flowers.

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 3

 Surrealism is more than simply changing reality. post-processing, but you can also create surrealistic
Photographers change reality all the time when images in-camera. Let your imagination guide image
post-processing images. We remove powerlines and creation. In this guide, we will explore ways to create
replace skies. We change colors and smooth skin. surrealism in photography. Through these examples,
Changing reality is not what makes a photo surreal. we hope to inspire your imagination.
A surreal image takes elements of the real world
and changes them or unrealistically combines them. What we will cover:
There is often a deeper meaning behind surrealist · Techniques for creating surreal photographs in-
art. The photo often taps into the unconscious mind camera
showing the world of dreams and emotions. To a
large extent, surrealism is personal. But there is often · Techniques for creating surreal photographs in
a dark style associated with this type of photography. post-processing

Surrealist photographers use many different Recommended Reading: If you want to

techniques for creating a fantastic world. But that learn how to enhance your photos and create
does not necessarily mean a lot of post-processing. better images, grab a copy of Photzy’s premium
Some surrealist effects can only be achieved in guide: Ultimate Guide to Fundamental Editing.

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 4

 TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING SURREAL
PHOTOGRAPHS IN-CAMERA

When you think of surrealism, you may think of composite images.

These are created digitally in a post-processing program like
Photoshop. Many surreal photographs are created this way, but
you can also create surreal images in-camera without any post-
processing at all. The world can be a very strange place if you
change your perspective. The hardest part is seeing the possibilities.

INTENTIONAL MOTION BLUR

Anything moving when your shutter is open will blur. We sometimes

get this blur unintentionally. When we blur motion intentionally to
create an effect, we call it Intentional Motion Blur or IMB. Motion
blur creates a dreamy effect perfect for surrealism.

Slow your shutter speed and move the camera as you open the
shutter. Try moving your camera fast and slow and in different
directions. The movements create different effects.

Photography by Cintia Matteo IMB creates mystery by removing defining details that we rely on
Intentional Motion Blur obscures the details of this person, to identify people and objects. A person moving their head back
and she appears to float in blackness. and forth becomes anonymous, faceless. Ghosts appear in an
empty room. Or the world around a still figure appears to pass by at
speed. The effect is eerie. We recognize a general shape, but it lives
in a world of dreams.

You can capture motion in your camera, but you can also create
motion effects in Photoshop. Use the blur tool or one of the blur
filters.

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 JUXTAPOSITION

Many surrealist photographs use

juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is placing
elements close together for comparison
or contrast. Photographing one object on
its own may not be surreal, but place it
next to another, and we can see the irony
or the absurdity. Juxtapositions create a
new meaning.

Look for juxtapositions that highlight the

impossible or the absurd. Extremes in
size or shape can make for a surrealistic
photograph; for instance, a very large
and very small dog playing, or a little cat
with a big shadow, or finding faces in the
placement of objects. The face does not
exist, but our minds are hard-wired to see
faces.

Photograph objects out of place, like

a chair in a field or a door on a beach.
Also, look for layering; for example, one
object or person in front of another, an
apple replacing a person’s face, or a sign
that reads the opposite of the situation.
Funny or absurd situations are all around
Photography by Jenn Mishra us. Try looking for them on your next
The curators at this museum probably did not realize that they created a photoshoot.
face. The eyes and nose are medallions on the wall. The vase is a mouth.
Some interesting lighting makes it looks like cheeks are puffed out.

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 FORCED PERSPECTIVE

Forced perspective is a particular kind of

juxtaposition. For this type of photograph,
you place two elements in the frame: one in
the foreground and one in the background.
The two subjects are placed to look like
they are interacting. It is an illusion.

Forced perspective takes advantage of the

two-dimensional nature of photography.
Your camera cannot read depth. A person
close to the camera and a structure in the
background appear the same size in the
camera. The camera flattens the distance
between them.

The subjects are real, but the situation is

surreal. We know that you cannot put the
sun in the trunk of your car or hit the moon
like a baseball. You may have created a
forced perspective image before. It is a
Photography by Jason Leung
popular type of photograph. If you have
Catching the sun or the moon is a popular type of forced perspective picture.
visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you may
have pictures of family members trying
desperately to hold up the tower.

Forced perspective images are usually

planned. The subject cannot see the final
effect, so you will have to direct their
actions as you look through the camera.

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 DISTORT REALITY

Many things around us distort reality. We

can use these natural distortions to create
surreal images. Let’s look at two surfaces
that distort reality: glass and water.

We can look through flat glass and not

even notice it is there. Imperfections or
the shape of the glass, an old window, or
a glass bottle create distortions of reality.
If you change your perspective, then
the distortion also changes. Reflections
in mirrored glass can also distort reality.
In the right lighting and angle, the
reflections are mirrored to infinity in an
Alice in Wonderland kind of way. There
are so many ways to play with light and
color using glass. In photography, a
popular effect is created by shooting
through a glass ball. The light refracts and
flips the image upside down.
Photography by Jenn Mishra

This display of mirrored glass bottles in a museum distorts the reflection and repeats it into infinity: a surreal world that never ends. Water reflections also distort reality.
Depending on the movement of the
water, you may get a mirrored reflection
of reality or abstract shapes. The
distortions are there. You simply have to
capture them.

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 CHANGE PERSPECTIVE

Sometimes all you need to do to see the

world in a strange way is change your
perspective. Get low and look up. Look
down from above. A low perspective will
emphasize a subject close to the lens.
A snail close to the camera becomes a
giant.

Use a wide-angle lens to further distort

the view. Buildings bend and faces bulge.

Recommended Reading: If you

want to learn how to enhance your
photos and create better images,
grab a copy of Photzy’s premium
guide: Ultimate Guide to
Fundamental Editing.

Photography by Henry Desro

The street scene is real, but the high perspective and the lens distortion create a surreal effect.

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 9

 TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING
SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHS
IN POST-PROCESSING

The real world can be full of surreal

possibilities. With photo editing programs,
you can emphasize the absurdity or create
completely new worlds. Let’s start with
some simple techniques created by altering
or changing reality in post-processing.
Technically, any time we change or remove
something from an image, we are altering
reality. In this case, you change the picture to
create an impossible or unusual effect. The
picture itself is not surreal, but what you do
with it in post-processing is.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

With a double exposure, you juxtapose two

Photography by Jenn Mishra different images blending them to create one.
This staircase is real, but when copied and layered in Photoshop, it creates an Escher-esque scene. Some cameras let you take double exposures
in-camera. You can also make these with a
photo editing program. Mixing the parts
together creates something new, a place that
defies gravity or morphs into something else.
A face becomes a tree with leaves for hair,
or one person becomes another. One of my
favorite techniques is to copy an image of a
real place and flip it in Photoshop.

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 COLOR MANIPULATION

Colors are easy to change in a post-

processing program. You may tweak
colors all the time, but push the colors
too far and they become absurd. The sky
turns purple, or the water is red. Before
you know it, you have created an alien
world. The subject may be real, but the
colors are not.

Photography by Caroline Bertolini

With a simple change of color, this familiar swimming pool becomes bizarrely surreal.

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 LEVITATION ILLUSION

A popular surreal effect is levitation.

People appear to hover in impossible
ways, or books fly around the room. You
may be surprised to learn that levitation
pictures are mostly real. The effect is
set up in advance, and a little photo
editing completes the illusion. Books are
suspended by string from the ceiling.
Removing the string in post-processing
makes the books appear to fly. Models
are supported by a chair or a stool. The
support is removed in post-processing.
All it takes is a little imagination and
creativity.

You can also create gravity-defying effects

using a fast shutter speed. The model
jumps or throws an object into the air.
The camera freezes the subject in mid-
flight, giving the illusion that it is hovering
Photography by Alex Iby
without support. Once you know the
To create the levitation effect, the model is supported during the photo shoot. The support is removed in post-processing. magic trick, it seems simple.

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 12

 DISPERSION AND
OTHER EFFECTS

Included in some post-processing apps

are surrealistic effects like dispersion.
Your subject explodes across the frame,
disintegrating to bits. You can create the
effect in Photoshop, but some programs
like PhotoDirector 365 and Lightricks by
Lightleap let you apply the change with a
click. Photography effects like dispersion
are becoming more common in apps
and programs. You may be able to create
a surrealistic effect without much post-
processing knowledge at all!

Photoshop’s Liquify filter can warp or

change the shape of your subject. The
Neural filters apply painterly effects that
support your surrealistic vision.

Photography by Jenn Mishra

PhotoDirector 365 has a dispersion effect that lets me control what parts of the image appear to
disintegrate. I can also control the direction, size of dispersion elements, spacing, and shape of the effect.

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 PHOTOMONTAGE

A photomontage combines elements

taken from different images to create
a new world. This type of image is also
called a composite. To make a composite,
select the parts that you want to use from
each image. The pieces of the image,
often called assets, can be from your
own pictures or from license-free stock
photographs. Then, layer the assets in
post-processing programs like Photoshop.
To finish off a composite, blend colors
and unify the light so that all the parts
look like they belong in the same picture.
Making composites is an art form. You
are creating a believable illusion. This is a
Photography by Jenn Mishra world that exists only in your imagination.
I used these images, a mix of stock and my own, and a few others to create the cover art for this guide.
Artists often use juxtaposition, placing
objects or people in unreal situations.
Examples include the following:

· Bus stop on a rooftop

· Grand piano in a lake

· Fish swimming through the woods

· Rock hovering overhead

· Stairway leading into the sky

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 CONCLUSION

A surrealistic photograph goes beyond

reality and brings your dreams to life. But
going beyond reality does not necessarily
mean complicated. It does not mean
that you have to be an expert at post-
processing. Surreal photos can be made in-
camera with little or no photo editing.

Surrealism is about exploring creativity

without being restricted by reality. Post-
processing programs make surrealism easier
to achieve than in the age of film. There
is an element of randomness expected in
surrealism. Explore the AI filters and other
tools provided by various apps. You may not
Photography by Jenn Mishra get the effect you were looking for, but you
may get something even stranger.

Surreal photography is not one thing. If you

can imagine it, you can do it. It may not be
simple or fast, but if you think creatively, you
will find a way.

Recommended Reading: If you

want to learn how to enhance your
photos and create better images, grab
a copy of Photzy’s premium guide:
Ultimate Guide to Fundamental
Editing.

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 15

 Self-Check Quiz: Assignment:

1) How is surreal photography more than simply changing Go for a photo walk and look for surreal image possibilities.
reality in post-processing? Look for juxtapositions and distortions. Start collecting assets
that you can use in a photomontage. Play with perspective,
2) How can Intentional Motion Blur be used to create surreal especially forced perspective. When post-processing your
images? images, aim for a dreamlike effect. Add blur, change colors, or
3) Define juxtaposition in terms of photography. add other effects. Feel free to look at surreal images by other
photographers for inspiration.
4) What are three examples of juxtaposition?

5) How is forced perspective surreal?

6) Describe how you might set up a forced perspective image.

7) How can you make people or objects appear to levitate?

8) What is a dispersion effect?

9) What is another word for a composite image?

10) How is a composite image created?

GETTING INTO SURREAL PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 16

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Hey there!
Let's get real for a minute... Learning photography can be super challenging! But
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FREE!) photography resources:

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Grab 3 free photography cheat Take this 30 second quiz to find out Free access to our library of 250+
sheets that will help you the #1 thing holding your downloadable (pdf) tutorials on
understand the basics. photography back. everything you can imagine.

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Want quick photography tips?

Check out our friends at DailyPhotoTips.com they'll send you 1 solid photography tip
to your inbox, 5 days a week. So you can start your day right, with actionable tips to
help you on your creative journey. Subscribe now →
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!

If you liked this photography tutorial, check

out this premium post-processing guide
where you can learn the fundamental editing
steps that will help make your photos pop:
Ultimate Guide to Fundamental Editing.

Jenn Mishra is a fine art travel and landscape photographer

based in the St. Louis metro area. Jenn is an active
photographic educator and has been invited to speak at
conferences such as Out of Chicago. Her photos have been
featured in a number of solo exhibitions. Her studio is Wits End
Photography.

Webpage: https://www.jennifermishra.com
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