Golden Gates: A Senior Surreal Photo by Hannah Hansen (2013)

To create my surrealist project, I focused on combining textures and scenery to convey a surreal landscape. Taking three photos with various positions on the light spectrum, I compiled them to create an HDR photo of the Golden Gate Bridge. I then took a photo of a lava rock, placing the image on top of the ocean beneath the bridge. Overlaying the texture of lava rock, I was able to achieve a connection between the presence of the ocean and hills. Lastly, I removed the classic blue sky and replaced it with a defocused image of the lights in San Francisco at night. This adds a darker, almost starry night feel, which plays off of the bright and bold colors of the bridge and ocean below. This piece represents the views of your subconscious. You see things that you know and understand, but they are often skewed by your mind and the unconventional thoughts that reside there.