Fong Qi Wei: Creating Flowers from Flowers

Fruits, vegetables and other flora have been featured on this blog as intricate portrait recreations and impressive mini-landscapes. It was only a matter of time until somebody else took the idea into a different direction. Here, the photographer Photographer Fong Qi Wei creates flowers out flowers, crafting something simple and beautiful out of something that's already simple and beautiful. In his series Exploded Flowers these natural constructions are given a clever and enchanting man-made touch.

Cindy Sherman: Self-Portraits of Others

Dressing up as someone or something else has been a popular Halloween tradition ever since people found it fun just to do so. There is no apparent reason or rationale behind most people's costumes, which makes sense given it's only done one night every year. One person however has found that dressing up can conjure up different accounts from different people at any time of the year. In these images, photographer and artist Cindy Sherman redefines dressing up by presenting self-portraits of other people through herself.

Tim Flach: Equus or the Beauty of the Horse

The last two posts have been focused on the horsemen of the Americas, but not enough has been said about the horses themselves. Portrait photographer Tim Flach is no stranger to photographing pets and animals, but in his series Equus, he not only captures images of different breed and colors of these domesticated mounts, he shows the beauty of the horse in all its wild and noble ways.

Philippe Halsman: Just Jump!

If you happen to be a bride or groom at a wedding, chances are that your photographer will try to take a "jump shot", for lack of a better term. This has been a popular wedding shot for a while now, but who started it all? And why bother with jumping in the first place? To find the answers, you'll have to travel back almost 50 years ago when portrait photographer Philippe Halsman captured Hollywood stars and A-listers in mid-air for his series, Jumpology.

Dan Winters: A Different Kind Of Portrait

Modern portrait photography is as diverse as the number of professionals in the field, from the fantastical and ultra modern fashion photographs of Nick Knight to the stark and striking close-ups of Platon to the lavish movie-set production images of Annie Leibovitz. Creating a different kind of portrait look in this day can be a daunting task, but Dan Winters has managed to do that, and then some.

Nick Knight: A Different Kind Of Fashion

Fashion photography has grown in leaps and bounds ever since photography itself was invented. The field really took off when the likes of Edward Steichen added more flavor in 1930s, and then later on with the creativity of Richard Avedon in the 1970s. Today's images would look more or less the same if it weren't for the different kind of fashion photography created by Nick Knight.

Celebrity Mash-ups: Iconatomy by George Chamoun

Is beauty subjective? Is it timeless? Within the last 100 years, the ideal beauty has changed when it comes to fashion and physical desirability, but does that mean someone from 20, 30 or 50 years ago wouldn't be able to appreciate the celebrities of today? With artist George Chamoun's Iconatomy, the answer is presented in a simple yet beautiful celebrity mash-up.

Damien Blottière: The Face As Template

Most of the feedback on the previous post leaned towards the creepier side of Ken Kitano's merged portraits, maybe due to the shadowy figures or the somewhat unsettling expression. If you're not comfortable with the idea of the human face being used as a template, then stop reading. If the idea intrigues you however, this post might make you sit up and think. While Kitano simply blurred his subjects into one portrait, fashion photographer Damien Blottière focuses on only one subject, but draws on different angles to create a multi-faceted view of the portrait.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand: Fine and Furry Farm Animal Portraits

 
It's been awhile since the Reel Foto blog featured any animals, so this week will be devoted to just that. While the last posts on the subject were focused on strange creatures underwater and close encounters of the wild kind, it's time to come back to those animals that are closer to man's heart. Man's best friend has already graced the Reel Foto blog twice, but nothing has been said of man's other best friends. Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand seeks to amend that by presenting fine and furry farm animals in all their glory.

Annie Leibovitz: The Master Of The Portrait

Both Yousuf Karsh and Arnold Newman have rightfully earned their place among the legends of photographic portraiture for their ground-breaking work. Their images continue to be a source of inspiration for this generation's professional photographers. On the other hand, new generations of portrait photographers have to look for a fresh source of inspiration for today's digital age. Fortunately, they don't have to look far in order to see the works of commercial photographer and portraitist Annie Leibovitz.

Yousuf Karsh: The Art of Immortality

In the world of photographic portraiture, only a handful of names immediately stand out. Pioneers in the field such as Edward Steichen and Richard Avedon reacted to the times they lived in and were celebrated for coming up with unique yet modern approaches to portrait photography. Today's photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Platon continue that fine tradition. One name however has been immortalized as the unparalleled inspiration for all photographers, past or present. That name is Yousuf Karsh.

Gjon Mili and Pablo Picasso: Light Paintings

This past week has seen just a fraction of the awesomeness that comes when one takes inspiration from art while working on photography. From recreating iconic artworks as in the case of RES, or using the old styles of painting to create new portraits as in the case of Eugenio Recuenco, the possibilities are endless. However, you can't talk about art and photography without featuring one of the 20th Century's most influential collaborations between the two fields: Pablo Picasso's Light Paintings or Light Drawings as photographed by Gjon Mili.

Eugenio Recuenco: The Old Ways Are New

Photography imitating art as in the previous post shows modern viewers how the techniques of the old masters are truly deserving of their accolade. While the photographer recreating these masterpieces is to be commended for his effort, most of the time it's the original artist that gets the praise. This is the case when photography directly recreates art instead of being inspired by it. Photographer Eugenio Recuenco takes the latter approach by borrowing the elements of the old ways to create something completely new.

Raúl Eduardo Stolkiner: Conatus, Past and Present, Art and Photography

Last week's feature on Carl Warner's Foodscapes and Klaus Enrique Gerdes' recreations of Arcimboldo's portraits both show just how much photography is inspired by art. With the theme of art and photography being so popular, it's only natural that the Reel Foto blog should continue to feature photographers and artists with the same passion. Artist Raúl Eduardo Stolkiner, popularly known as RES, fits the bill perfectly.

Arcimboldo's Portraits of Food by Klaus Enrique Gerdes

Carl Warner's Foodscapes from the previous post has been rightly lauded over the past years, but his was not the first artworks to feature food in such a breathtaking manner. Photographer Klaus Enrique Gerdes takes his cue from the artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo in creating his fanciful portraits using fruits, twigs and flowers.

The Breakfast Project by Sayaka Minemura

Today is the beginning of a new day and a new week, which means it's doubly important to start your day right with a hearty breakfast. For photographer Sayaka Minemura, a hearty breakfast also means one that has a little bit more character and charm like those that are featured in her breakfast project.

David LaChapelle: Forget Glamour, It's All About Sex!

There's no glamour, it's all about sex! Well, at the very least, sex plays a big part in fashion and portrait photographer David LaChapelle extensive commercial work. Some 50 years after the legendary George Hurrell defined the setting for glamour and style, LaChapelle turns it all upside to produce some of the most provocative, ridiculous and beautiful portraits in the industry.

George Hurrell: Lights, Camera, Glamour!

Ever since the advent of the motion picture over a hundred years ago, film studios have advertised their movies through billboards, posters and post cards. In order to attract an audience, the faces of the leading lads and ladies of the screen were used for publicity. The more successful films would use images of their stars that were more adventurous, sometimes provocative but almost always glamorous. And in 1930s Hollywood, nobody did glamour better than portrait photographer George Hurrell.

Tim Macpherson: Kids At Home And At Play

Jan von Holleben's pictures of little tykes having fun outside with their homemade costumes and props look impressive and inspiring, but Tim Macpherson takes the cake when it comes to kids having fun indoors. It only took a few household items to create the scenes that he did, but they're all done so well that you can't help but be awesomed by all of them.

Jan Von Holleben: Adventure Is Out There!

As cute and cuddly babies become rambunctious little kids, their little minds look out on the world and scream. "Adventure is out there!" Even without the luxuries of video games, kids can find adventure out there, even if it's just out there in your neighbor's backyard or on the streets. It might be a little hard for adults to picture the fantasies that their children play out, but photographer Jan von Holleben makes it easy with his creative captures.