How to Do Surrealism Photography: 18 Practical Techniques and Tips

It is most likely that if you are in love with photography or art, you are going to set your eyes on those pictures that seem totally unrealistic, surreal, and dreamy; visions of some other world. This is the genre of surrealist photography that allows one to create an image beyond reality provoked by an individual's imagination.

In this article, we are going to talk about surrealism photography, what it involves, how you can edit surrealist photos, and a few more tips that can really ignite your photography. 

What Is Surrealism Photography?

Surrealist Photography is a style of photography that tends to present the subject imaginatively. The style is described by most photographers as unusual, dreamy, or fantastic 

Surrealism photography tries to challenge its viewers as it makes them question what they observe. 

Techniques to Get Surrealism Photos

It is often difficult to obtain surreal photographs. This is because you are required to think creatively and step out of the realm of reality. However, you can use some techniques and obtain a fabulous surrealist photo. 

Photo by Yahor Urbanovich on Unsplash-

1. Photomontage

This is where you combine two or more pictures to make a completely new photo. This can be done by taking an image with a strong foreground and another with an interesting background. You can then combine the two photos using editing software like Photoshop. 

2. Choice of Color

You can also manipulate the colors of an image to make it surreal. For instance, making the colors really bright or highly saturated can help in creating an unreal look in an image. 

3. Blurring the Image

The other way to achieve a surreal image is through blurring. One only needs to reduce the depth of field in an image by lowering the camera's aperture. The background appears blurred, while the subject remains in focus. 

4. Shutter Speed

You can achieve the surreal photo suning shutter speed in two ways. Setting a slow shutter speed will bring about a blur effect to the image. The second way is by using a fast shutter speed, which freezes the motion in the photo making it look like it's been suspended in real time, unreal right? 

5. Floating the Subject

In this technique, you create surreal photos by making your subject appear to be floating mid-air. Just have your subject stand on something raised like a box or a stool then capture the photos. Using Photoshop, you will then edit the images to get rid of the box or stool making the subject appear to be floating. 

Photo by Sharan Pagadala on Unsplash

6. Solarization

This is whereby you partially expose a developed film to light as it develops. You can use this technique to create a surreal effect by simply switching on the lights in a dark room for a few seconds to reverse the shadows and highlights in the image. 

7. Using Camera Perspective

A camera perspective is another way to create surreal photos. A good example is taking a photo of an individual from below, making the person appear to be a giant. On the contrary, moving the subject away from the camera will make them look small. This is, of course, just an optical illusion, but it can create an interesting surreal effect. 

8. Double Exposure

This would involve taking two pictures and exposing them on the same piece of film. One can do this by capturing the first shot, rewinding the film, and taking the second shot, thereby superimposing the two photos on each other. You can use this technique to come up with a ghostly effect. 

9. Using Reflections

Another way to create a surrealist picture is through reflections. For example, one can take a photograph of a person in a mirror to get an inverted image. Same way, you can take a photo of a person, reflected in a puddle of water, creating a distorted image. 

Tips and Ideas to Inspire Your Surrealism Photography

1. Going under Water

Going underwater is one of the most creative ways to create fascinating and surreal images. The underwater world is almost dream-like; the body and senses do not react with the same urgency as on land. Therefore, it is a good place to take surreal photos. 

2. Removal of the Face

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

You can create a surreal image by simply removing the face from a portrait using Photoshop or another editing software. This will create an unsettling image and make the viewer question what they are seeing.

3. Relocating and Resizing Familiar Objects

Another way to create surreal images is by manipulating the size and location of familiar objects. For example, start by taking a photograph of a person in a field of flowers. Then using Photoshop, make the flowers larger than the subject. The effect will make the image appear to be out of proportion and make the viewer wonder what they are viewing. 

4. Use of Light and Shadow

You can also make a surreal photo using light and shadow, where you manipulate dimensions within an image. For example, you can take a photo of an individual in a dark room, illuminated by one light source. This way, you get a mysterious image that will keep the viewer wondering about what they see. 

5. Creating a Portal to Another World

Photo by Yahor Urbanovich on Unsplash

You can create a portal to another world to create a surreal image.  All you have to do is take a photo of a person standing in front of a door and use Photoshop to edit the door so that it appears to be leading into another world. 

6. Playing with Food

You can also make a surreal image by capturing images playing around with food. Simply take a photo of a person with a cake and then use Photoshop to make it look like it’s made of meat. That way, you'll create a weird picture that will make the viewer wonder what they are looking at. 

7. Resizing a Person

You can also choose to resize the image of a person to create a surreal photo. Take a photo of the person in a room then using Photoshop, resize the person to appear like they are small. The resulting image will be out of proportion making one feel quite uneasy. 

8. Distortion of Vision with Motion Blur

You can also create a surreal image with a camera that distorts vision using motion blur. For instance, you take a shot of a person in a moving car. Then, the photo is manipulated using Photoshop to make the image appear blurred. You will have yourself a fantastic surreal photo that creates a sense of unease. 

9. Use of Forced Perspective

Photo by Zohreh Fatemi on Unsplash

Forced perspective is a technique that gives the illusion of making an object look larger or closer by reducing or enlarging the object size in an image. This can be employed to create an image that looks unreal.

For example, you can take a photograph of a person beside the moon and then enlarge the moon using Photoshop. The resulting image will be out of proportion making the viewer question what they see.  

Conclusion

Surrealism photography is a great way to exhibit your creativity. It also helps challenge the viewers by having them question what they see and create a sense of unease.

Hopefully, now that you know what surrealism photography is and some techniques for making your surreal photos, you will be inspired to make your images. Practice and you will be able to produce stunning and mind-bending surrealist photos.  

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