Fantasy, fiction, surreal, conceptual, composite, Photoshop… call them what you will. I call them artistic and creative.

Photography in itself is artistic and creative, but using a photo (or photos) for a derivative work is no less appealing to me. I’m actually envious of people who can combine images or add to photos and create something completely new — I can’t do it… and I probably never will.

Jerry Uelsmann has been a favorite of mine for a long time because of his ability to combine images and produce fantastic works of art (and he does it old school — none of that digital stuff). If you’ve never seen his work, go look NOW.

Here are a few others kicking around Flickr, trying their hand at this type of thing. Great stuff in my opinion, and all very different styles and techniques.

photo credit: Rayani Melo

photo credit: h.koppdelaney

photo credit: kaneda99

photo credit: movimente

photo credit: paul+photos=moody

photo credit: Stephen Poff

photo credit: neeZhom

photo credit: pulpmojo

photo credit: Poe Tatum

photo credit: Bill Gracey

photo credit: ViaMoi

photo credit: Mara ~earth light~

photo credit: Desirée Delgado

photo credit: Zoriah

photo credit: !borghetti

… oh wait, that last one isn’t a fantasy — you thought it was though, didn’t ya? I’d freak out if I caught something like that by chance.

Compare two worlds, two empires: