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36 Surreal Images that Will Inspire Your Creativity
To inspire you, we culled 36 eye-catching images of enhanced places, faces, and moments. From reality-defying composites to mind-bending retouches, we hope these images will inspire you to expand your story-telling skills and post-processing workflow.
When it comes to blending art and photography, imagination (and technology, thanks to Adobe) sure goes a long way.
1. A lenticular cloud hovering above the Stonehenge enhances this landmark’s mysterious origins.
2. It took 15 hours to create this imaginary cut-and-fold landscape. Hit play on the video below to see how it was done.
3. This “milk dress” shot has all the makings of a cool fashion editorial.
4. Have some fun with food. This photo is a cool idea for photo shoots with children.
5. This photographer re-imagined a post-apocalyptic Abu Dhabi, inspired by the movie Dune with a matte painting using his own aerial photography.
6. The enhanced clouds and sky on fire above the Matterhorn are enough to give us wanderlust.
7. A father and son weathering the storm delivers a powerful story about relationships.
8. A clever take on the selfie.
9. 10 vertical images were stitched by the photographer which resulted in a jaw-dropping view of Lake Bonney in South Australia.
10. Now you can witness and follow the heavenly bodies atop Mt. Bromo, thanks to this photographer’s star trails.
11. This dramatic portrait was shot in a studio with the subject’s leg being supported. The support was later edited out for a mid-air effect.
12. More fun with food in these digitally-enhanced shots.
13. A classic childhood story is revisited and brought to life in this photo for younger generations to appreciate.
14. If you haven’t already seen this before, here is an idea to change up your next family portrait.
15. The photographer stitched and blended three of his images into a breathtaking panorama that shows the transition of night to day.
16. You might’ve missed these solar and lunar eclipses, but these photographers have captured their entire cycles in a single enhanced shot.
17. Doesn’t this portrait photo look just like a painting?
18. Taken at different times and focal distances, this cityscape of Hong Kong was a blend of four exposures. To learn this technique, check out this tutorial.
19. A composite of six photographs, silhouettes of birds and a dead tree merge into one being.
20. A dramatic mood is created by this composite image of the Milky Way and a horseman atop a mountain.
21. A twist on time-lapse, this “time stack” process involved more than 300 photos merged into one image using a layer-blending mode.
22. We’re willing to suspend our disbelief for a good fantasy. A composite of two pictures: one of the sky and clouds taken from an airplane and the other is a NASA shuttle. You can purchase a royalty-free license of this photo here.
23. This image captures what we might’ve seen if we were to step into our sleeping children’s dreams. This is also a good idea for the photo that goes into birth announcements or children’s birthday invitations.
24. Portraying the battle between fire versus water, this image has a lot of different stories to tell.
25. Another neat idea for self-portrait that uses illustration.
26. This photographer uses his skills for good as he blends ailing children into fairytale scenes. You can read more about it here.
27. A tiny, hidden city buried under a pile of snow can only exist in images like this.
28. Light trails heighten a snowboarder’s action-packed moment.
29. Manipulated lanterns in the sky among a composite of the night sky elevates the romance portrayed in this shot.
30. These shots were retouched to add some action to your wedding photos. One is dramatic and dreamy; the other plays to the newlywed’s sense of humor.
31. This matte image of a vintage automobile in the city at night has the makings of a magazine editorial.
32. The concept and processing seem simple, but the image is rich in story and symbolism.
33. This photographer re-imagined his favorite superhero and villain using his action figures and some compositing.
34. The contrast between winter and fall is portrayed clearly and creatively in this manipulated image.
35. Two shots taken in the same South Dakota location but with different cameras were blended to create a road leading to nowhere with nothing but the setting sun to guide the trip.
36. This panorama of the galaxy over Santa Barbara, CA is composed of 14 images stitched together by the photographer.
Browse more inspiring images that use Photoshop to bend reality.
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