50 Sensational Surreal Photographs

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Photographers skilled in the art of manipulation create skewed realities that are at once jarring and fascinating. Bizarre imagery and illogical juxtapositions allow for a dream-like world where anything is possible and metaphor is king. Before Photoshop allowed people to bend reality with the click of their mouse, artists like Jerry Uselman and Melvin Sokolsky, both included here, assembled their works of surreal photography by combining, cutting and enlarging multiple negatives in a dark room. While today’s masters of manipulation may have it easy in comparison, they’re still turning out impressive pieces of art that deserve recognition.

We’ve picked 50 of our favorite examples of surreal photography. Click through and try not to hallucinate. Plus, we've added “Dalí Atomicus” by Philippe Halsman for good measure and to introduce our theme.

Check out 50 Sensational Surreal Photographs.

listening

Listening to the Silence, Manu Pombol (image: mymodernmet)

aequil

Aequilibrium, Andrew Shushvalyuka

egg

Egg’s Eye, NREY (image: deviantart)

assemblar

Assembler, Kosmur (image: deviantart)

upsideworld

An Upside Down World, Cody William (image: deviantart)

brainwash

Brainwash, Matthieu Grymonprez (image: deviantart)

landscape

Landscape I, Levi van Veluw

skeleton

Untitled, Skeleton Studio (image: Norman Maslov)

deep cuts

Deep Cuts, Erik Johansson (image: impactlab)

surreal portrait

Surrealist Portrait: Andres, Manu Pombol (image: mymodernmet)

playground

The World is a Playground, Norvhic Fernandez Austria

ban

Untitled, Sarolta Bán (image: chilloutpoint)

jungle

Jungle Pink, Cecelia Webber (image: designboom)

typical

Typical Stoner, Josh Sommers (image: imagekind)

Untitled, Manuel Archain

Untitled, Manuel Archain

artificial flooding

Artificial Flooding, Erik Johansson (image: dailydesigninspiration)

winter arm

Winter Arm, Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison

kalbitor

Kalbitor, Taylor James and LJ Hopkinson (image: feetfloyd)

destination sky

Destination Sky, Albulena Panduri (image: deviant art)

freddy

Freddy Olympics Advertisement, Lorenzo Vitturi (image: behance)

boxing

Boxing Gloves, Hugh Kretschmer (image: featureshoot)

go your own road

Go Your Own Road, Erik Johansson

invega

Invega Skin Advertisement, Taylor James and LJ Hopkinson (image: nbrhd)

underneath

Underneath, Roderique Arisiaman (image: shadowness)

distorted

Distorted, Albulena Panduri (image: deviant art)

reborn

Reborn, Michael Karcz (image: deviantart)

paris

Paris 1963, Melvin Sokolsky (image: boingboing)

try anything

Try Anything Once Album Cover, Storm Thorgerson (image: hypergallery)

evolution

Evolution, Jean Francois Rauzier (image: minimalexposition)

verasilles

Versailles City Hall Stairs, Jean Francois Rauzier (image: leversaillais)

crossing

Crossings, Jean Francois Rauzier (image: artnet)

de-loused

De-Loused In The Comatorium Album Cover, Storm Thorgerson (image: nextafterthis)

human

Human DK, Paula Rosa (image: dailyartfixx)

hugh

Untitled, Hugh Kretschmer (image: coolhunting)

eternal

Eternal Scream, Josh Sommers (image: imagekind)

puzzle

Puzzle Album Cover, Storm Thorgerson (image: listal)

1992

Untitled 1992, Jerry N. Uelsmann (image: allart)

source

The Source, Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison

drawing hands

Drawing Hands, Josh Sommers (image: imagekind)

supermarket

Supermarket PS2 Advertisement, Dimitri Daniloff

bear

Untitled Bear, Sarolta Bán (image: chilloutpoint)

forest

Forest Portrait Closeup, Ayaka Ito and Randy Church (image: designboom)

Untitled, Christophe Gilbert

Untitled, Christophe Gilbert (image: lookslikegooddesign)

Mio GPS Advertisement, Hock

Mio GPS Advertisement, Hock (image: behance)

graces

The Three Graces: Graciella, Alberto Seveso

meta

Meta-For, Paula Rosa (image: deviantart)

Hope and Fear Series, Phillip Toledano

Hope and Fear Series, Phillip Toledano

peculiar

Peculiar Storm, George Nova (image: deviantart)

I Can Build Worlds With My Mind, Roderique Arisiaman

I Can Build Worlds With My Mind, Roderique Arisiaman (image: dracorubio.see.me)

Blowtorch Harvey Nichols Advertisement, Dimitri Daniloff

Blowtorch Harvey Nichols Advertisement, Dimitri Daniloff