We all know the phrase, “storytelling takes us to new worlds.” Well, photography does that as well. Many artists use photography to create new worlds, and take us into magical realms. Pulling inspiration from fairytales to books to music, check out how these photographers of the imagination have built new worlds through their cameras (and more than just a little bit of post-processing) Share your own photos on Instagram with #SonyAlpha and make sure you follow @sonyalpha for more inspiration!

Pulling inspiration from fairytales, books and music, check out how these photographers and content creators build new worlds through their cameras and lenses.

Lizzy Gadd – @elizabethgadd

Alpha Collective member Lizzy Gadd is known as a self portrait artist, creating magical images of herself that feel just out of a fairy tale. Gadd is deeply passionate about the outdoors and incorporates it into her imagery. The tone, color, posing, and processing of her image often make us feel like we’ve entered a new world. For example, in the image below, we feel like we’ve fallen into a novel about a heroine embarking on a quest. Gadd made this image with her Sony Alpha 7R III and Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master.

Erin Sullivan - @ErinOutdoors

Alpha Collective member Erin Sullivan is known for making miniature worlds as well as outdoor and travel photography. Sullivan brings in everyday objects into her studio and sets up magical miniature moments. The Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G lens allows her to create these macro moments with all the detail and sharpness. We love the images below of a “spa cupcake,” and we encourage you to read the caption to get Erin’s take on creativity and personal projects.

Anna Bitanga - @fourbrickstall

Anna Bitanga is a LEGO ambassador and photographer who creates scenes with LEGO minifigures and captures them with her Sony camera and lens. This account is almost guaranteed to make you smile! We love diving into the little stories she’s created and seeing how she uses light and other elements to add to the storytelling. Check her out and give her account a follow.

Brooke Shaden – @brookeshaden

Sony Artisan Brooke Shaden is a self-portrait artist who photographs herself and becomes the characters of dreams inspired by a childhood of intense imagination and fear. Being the creator and the actor, Brooke controls her darkness and confronts those fears. We love seeing the final image, and then the steps she took to get there; which is shown in the post below!

Dan Duffin - @danyuld

Star Wars fans, we’ve found a fun account for you to follow! Dan Duffin uses his Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G and action figures to create mini scenes from his favorite movies, primarily Star Wars that he lights and photographs. He includes outstanding details - down to the light sabers and smoke coming off guns. He also occasionally shares Instagram reels that show some behind the scenes of how he creates these miniature sets. We highly recommend giving him a follow for more fun in your feed.

Rachel Langlois - @penrystudio

Rachel Langlois is a fine art portrait photographer currently based in Houston, Texas. Throughout her photography career, Rachel found herself creating works with more of a skew towards social commentary and activism. She founded the “Disappearing Earth Series,” which is a portrait series that works to spotlight endangered species and how we can help protect them as well as explore the link between women and climate change. The image below, shot on the Sony Alpha 7R III features monarch butterflies.

Terrence Drysdale – @tjdrysdale

Terrence Drysdale is a Tampa-based member of the Alpha Collective. He’s a professional portrait, fine art and fashion photographer, and he makes great use of natural light to create his fanciful images. In this Behind the Shot article, Drysdale explains that he often draws inspiration from fantasy stories, and that comes across so well in his images! He made the epic shot below on the Sony Alpha 99 II.

Andrea Friederichs-du Maire - @friederichsdumaire

Andrea Friederichs-du Maire is a self-portrait artist who develops colorful photomontages with herself as the focus. Her digital collages move between photography and painting. They are inspired by surreal ideas, dream memories, fairy tales and imaginations. They offer metaphors for her inner struggles and confrontation with herself. She uses photography to make the invisible visible and with its help to stimulate a transformation process. She made the image below with her Sony Alpha 7 III, it’s meant to represent the feeling of being invisible, or not taken seriously.

Ivan Wong – @ivvnwong

Ivan Wong is a photographer and Alpha Collective member. He creates larger than life images by adding 3D elements and utilizing creative lighting. The photo below represents some deeper feelings, in the caption, Wong states, “Sometimes we feel like our world is collapsing. Those who continuously bottle up their sadness or pain because and pretend they’re okay in front of their friends when they are really hurting and troubled, you are not alone.”

Stacy Honda - @StacyHonda

Stacy Honda is a fine art photographer who uses digital photography and Photoshop to create surreal, dreamlike images. She began with a focus on portrait photography and then soon turned the camera on herself to experiment with self-portraiture. She worked as a model for many years so it felt natural for her to use herself as the characters in her images. Wanting to take her images beyond the boundaries of reality, she learned how to composite and manipulate images in Photoshop. Creating is her way of processing emotions, past experiences and desires. Check out her profile for more surreal images.