by Caroline Cannon

Welcome back to Caroline’s Snapshots! I started this column last year, where I focused on the photographer Brandon Woelfel and showcased some of his best pieces. (If you haven’t read that article yet, be sure to check it out!)

This year, I am starting off with a photographer I recently discovered who focuses mainly on surrealist art. Surrealism is an art style that focuses on the subconscious mind and includes elements of dream-like qualities. Typically most of the work on surrealist pictures is done using photoshop, and this year in my Photography 2 class, we’ve explored this theme a few times before. I found this art style to be very interesting, and while looking for inspiration for my own project, I came across photographer Daniel Serva’s instagram page. uses photoshop unlike I’ve ever seen before. 

Serva bends reality unlike any other photographer I’ve seen, and shares his pictures to over 100,000 followers on Instagram and Twitter. Here are some of my personal favorite works of Serva’s:

One aspect of Serva’s work that I find very interesting is how the majority of his photos are self portraits. That’s him in each of the photos up above, and on his instagram there are only two or three photos that he is not in. Being both the photographer and the model is an uncommon style, and I find that it brings an extra layer to his work. With photos that he is in, it seems more like a direct snapshot of his vision. It seems more personal, and allows for one to take a walk around in his creative mind. 

One practical point about self portraits is that you don’t have to rely on anyone else to take a picture! Serva has made some “behind the scenes” videos, where you can see the work he does to set up each shot. I find these videos very inspiring, since sometimes it can be hard to find a model that can exactly express what your vision is for a piece of work. 

Whenever you need some inspiration for photography (or any art form!), be sure to check out Daniel Serva’s instagram, his Youtube Channel, or his website. Now go out and make some surreal art!