Many people call photo manipulation “fake” because it’s not photography. Indeed, it’s more of digital art, but it still relies on photography and turns it into something completely new. But artist Monica Carvalho is here to make peace between these two art types. She takes some beautiful photos – and then he takes them and turns them into composites that are weird, surreal, and absolutely amazing!
Monica is a Swiss-born photographer currently living in Berlin, Germany. She is passionate about taking a new perspective on familiar things, and I think she does it quite well. Her photo manipulations usually take two photos perfectly merged to create new, completely surreal objects. And I find her way of merging images not just interesting but also very satisfying and pleasing to the eye. Even the captions are very creative.
Monica’s fascination with arts began at a very young age. She started exploring art while still in school, and her interests eventually sent her to studying the history of art in college. She is particularly interested in surrealist artists and their work, and she has taken the same route in her photographic work. “The turning point was when I discovered Adobe Photoshop,” Monica explains, “which allowed me to merge my photos with my imagination.” The goal of Monica’s work and her motto is “to make the ordinary extraordinary.” She takes photos of regular things we see in daily life and turns them into something that makes you admire her imagination. “I believe there is potential for inspiration everywhere, it just depends on our outlook,” Monica says. Of course, we’ve seen some other composite images before, and they’re really awesome as well. But what sets Monica apart is that she never uses stock photos. She only makes her pieces from the photos she took herself. She says that it’s a challenge that makes her artistic adventures “not only very exciting but also incredibly personal.” Describing her photos, she says: “I know the models, touched the buildings, stroked the animals, eaten the foods, played the instruments…” I’d also add that she has a recognizable style… maybe precisely because the photos that she merges are her own. Take a look at more of Monica’s work below. Make sure to check out even more on her website, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also support her work on Patreon. [via PetaPixel]
