Hans Bellmer

Image: © Hans Bellmer

Sinister dolls by Hans Bellmer.

Joel Peter Witkin

Image: © Joel Peter Witkin

An interesting interview with the genius known as Joel Peter Witkin.

Mia Friedrich

Image: Mia Friedrich

Interesting work by Mia Friedrich, especially the surreal set.

John Currin

Image: © John Currin

There's something about the whimsical style of John Currin's work that I find quite enchanting. Although others may disagree.

Karen Knorr

Image: © Karen Knorr

Digitally enhanced work by Karen Knorr.

Susan Burnstine

Running Without Feet
Originally uploaded by Susan B..

Nice toy camera work by Susan Burnstine. This image in particular reminds me of Rocky Schenck's work. She has more work at outafocus.

Simen Johan

Image: © Simen Johan

Surreal and interesting work by Simen Johan who digitally montages multiple images. More of his work here.

Flickr photographers

, originally uploaded by *becky.

There are some very inspiring photographers within the depths of flickr. *Becky's images are wonderfully evocative, beautifully composed and all shot with a toy camera.

Anna Gaskell

Image: © Anna Gaskell

Anna Gaskell explores the theme of "Alice in Wonderland".

Aline Smithson

Image: © Aline Smithson

Some interesting work by Aline Smithson in the "People I Don't Know" series, although it can become quite formulaic.

More of her work here.

Ralph Eugene Meatyard

Image: © Ralph Eugene Meatyard

I've always been a huge fan of Ralph Meatyard.

David Bate

Image: © David Bate

Beautiful work by David Bate.

Jos van der Sommen

Image: © Jos van der Sommen

Beautiful surreal paintings by Jos van der Sommen.

Chris Scarborough

Image: © Chris Scarborough

Chris Scarborough's work is strikingly similar to that of Loretta Lux. I think he must employ similar digital manipulation techniques.

Scott Irvine

Image: © Scott Irvine

Scott Irvine's work is just fantastic, especially the "Mutter" set. The images look like they've been shot with a toy camera but are probably the result of careful old-fashioned darkroom manipulations. Excellent and inspiring.

Carol Golemboski

Image: © Carol Golemboski

Wonderfully disturbing work by Carol Golemboski. There are definite similarities between these images and the work of Joel Peter Witkin.

Sally Gall

Image: © Sally Gall

Stunning work by Sally Gall.

Toy camera purists

Frankly I'm quite amused by the amount of disapproval that I receive from 'toy camera purists' in regards to my liberal use of the Holga Photoshop action. Am I 'cheating' a spontaneous moment that could have been interpreted in so many 'unpredictable' ways by the crappiness of the holga's mechanics?
Maybe so, however to be blunt I have seen alot of mediocre photos that have been taken with a holga/diana and they still look like ordinary snapshots with that gimmicky holga dreaminess added due to the camera.

I have also seen alot of great toy camera photography such as some of the work on Toycamera.com, which is so inspiring and makes me want to embrace the limitations of toy camera photography.

At the end of the day, the skill is with the photographer and not the camera...No camera will save a badly composed snapshot (and that includes many of my own snapshots who have had a couple of slaps of the Holga Photoshop action in the hope that they may be resurrected into some form of art).

Mika Ninagawa

Image: © Mika Ninagawa

There's a certain kitsch charm that Mika Ninagawa's images have. I do love those over-saturated and almost acidic colours.

Michael David Andre

Image: © Michael David Andre

Creepy and disturbing work by Michael David Andre. Reminds me of a Francis Bacon.

Cedric Tanguy

Image: © Cedric Tanguy

Cedric Tanguy's work is breathtaking even though it is quite contrived. I can't quite decide whether I love them or hate them. Either way I can't stop looking at them which is certainly no bad thing.

Ruud Van Empel

Image: © Ruud Van Empel

Magical and beautifully surreal images by Ruud Van Empel. They remind me of Loretta Lux's twee (for lack of a better word) and slightly Hallmarky portraits of children. (Don't get me wrong I do love her work!)