My surreal photographs consist of double-exposure photographs, photographs of mannequins, and digitally altered images. They manifest luminous colors, ambiguous moods, and surreal juxtapositions. Check out the variety of my surreal photographs in the Mixed Emulsions, Mannequins, and Strange Spaces exhibits of my fine art photography gallery.

My surreal photography using double exposures was inspired by my photography in Asia.  I was inspired to replicate in photographs of the everyday American environment the richness of pattern, color, texture, and decoration that I had captured in my Asian photographs.  I sought a more intriguing use of depth, but not the traditional illusion of real space.  So I began to photograph naturally occurring overlaid images, such as shadows, objects behind fences, and window reflections, including ubiquitous display mannequins. My surreal mannequin photographs were also inspired by my figure paintings (visible at www.sharonhudson.com), which combine human figures with patterns and layers of reality. 

Soon I decided to create my own surreal layered photographs.  This was before digital photography, so I created in-camera multiple exposures using color slide film.  I discovered that multiple exposures yielded luminous, surreal colors otherwise unobtainable in photography.    Almost all my surreal photographs derive from these in-camera multiple exposures, although some are enhanced later with sandwiched slides and digital manipulations.