Art photography: When 'reality isn't good enough'

By Ashley Strickland, CNN

Updated 1319 GMT (2119 HKT) August 18, 2012

Chris Clor's dramatic photograph of this bull rider won the Communication Arts Photography Competition. Combining separate shots of the bull, the rider, Superstition Mountains and the sky, he knitted them together in Photoshop. Although it was shot for a client selling boots, the image represents a possible reality because of Clor's composition.
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Photographing a creative reality – Chris Clor's dramatic photograph of this bull rider won the Communication Arts Photography Competition. Combining separate shots of the bull, the rider, Superstition Mountains and the sky, he knitted them together in Photoshop. Although it was shot for a client selling boots, the image represents a possible reality because of Clor's composition.
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Don Farrall's image was also a winning entry in the competition. "These 'Sound Sculptures' exist for a fraction of a second; they are created as paint is propelled by sound waves," he said. "Variations in the viscosity and the pattern of the paint, along with variations in the frequencies used to put the paint in motion, produce unique images that exhibit a natural balance."
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Photographing a creative reality – Don Farrall's image was also a winning entry in the competition. "These 'Sound Sculptures' exist for a fraction of a second; they are created as paint is propelled by sound waves," he said. "Variations in the viscosity and the pattern of the paint, along with variations in the frequencies used to put the paint in motion, produce unique images that exhibit a natural balance."
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Photographer Mike Mellia uses lighting to make his images dynamic, almost evoking a movie set with their tone. This photo, from his Action Hero series, examines how we look at heroes in movies as children, versus our view of them as we age.
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Mike Mellia – Photographer Mike Mellia uses lighting to make his images dynamic, almost evoking a movie set with their tone. This photo, from his Action Hero series, examines how we look at heroes in movies as children, versus our view of them as we age.
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In his "Monday Morning: Wall Street & America" series, Mellia created an entire ecosystem that explores the neverending cycle of finance and economy. He used models and scenes with exaggerated facial expressions and actions to make a statement in his series.
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Mike Mellia – In his "Monday Morning: Wall Street & America" series, Mellia created an entire ecosystem that explores the neverending cycle of finance and economy. He used models and scenes with exaggerated facial expressions and actions to make a statement in his series.
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To achieve harsh shadows and a Hitchcock feel, Mellia put a bright spotlight on his subjects, plunging the background into harsh shadows. Representing the consumer in his "Wall Street" series, Mellia used 400-600 pound models.
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Mike Mellia – To achieve harsh shadows and a Hitchcock feel, Mellia put a bright spotlight on his subjects, plunging the background into harsh shadows. Representing the consumer in his "Wall Street" series, Mellia used 400-600 pound models.
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Mellia focuses largely on emotion in his photos, like this image from his Psychological Portrait series. He believes it is at the heart of what fine art photography is all about. His focus on lighting also allows the subjects to pop off the page in a 3-D way.
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Mike Mellia – Mellia focuses largely on emotion in his photos, like this image from his Psychological Portrait series. He believes it is at the heart of what fine art photography is all about. His focus on lighting also allows the subjects to pop off the page in a 3-D way.
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Mellia tries to avoid any normal devices of photography that make his images resemble photos. For example, in this "Wall Street" scene, every detail is incredibly sharp, rather than blurring into the background.
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mike mellia wall street 2 – Mellia tries to avoid any normal devices of photography that make his images resemble photos. For example, in this "Wall Street" scene, every detail is incredibly sharp, rather than blurring into the background.
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To Bryan Peterson, the camera is a blank canvas. For 30 years, he has traveled the world creating images. He takes inspiration from walking around locations and making observations about what makes them unique. Then, Peterson turns the observations into concepts he pursues in the moment or plans over time with models and locations.
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Bryan Peterson – To Bryan Peterson, the camera is a blank canvas. For 30 years, he has traveled the world creating images. He takes inspiration from walking around locations and making observations about what makes them unique. Then, Peterson turns the observations into concepts he pursues in the moment or plans over time with models and locations.
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Peterson is fond of including a focal point that stands out from its surroundings, like a red ball in a pool of cool blue water or this black cat amid a palette of purple and yellow.
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Bryan Peterson – Peterson is fond of including a focal point that stands out from its surroundings, like a red ball in a pool of cool blue water or this black cat amid a palette of purple and yellow.
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By placing a red light source in this mailbox, Peterson transformed what would have been a normal street scene into a menacing mystery and storytelling image.
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Bryan Peterson – By placing a red light source in this mailbox, Peterson transformed what would have been a normal street scene into a menacing mystery and storytelling image.
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The literal contrast between white and black, and the size of the two people against two trees, allowed Peterson to play with depth of field and composition.
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Bryan Peterson – The literal contrast between white and black, and the size of the two people against two trees, allowed Peterson to play with depth of field and composition.
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By illuminating one henna-covered hand, Peterson created a layered image with scene-setting elements and a dynamic atteniton to detail.
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Bryan Peterson – By illuminating one henna-covered hand, Peterson created a layered image with scene-setting elements and a dynamic atteniton to detail.
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