Erik Johansson-an insight.

 Erik Johansson is a Swedish photographer who takes images which are considered surreal. He reminds me of a modern Salvador Dali with his abstract use of colour and open scenery. He is a visual artist that is based in Prague. His philosophy is not to capture a moment in time but rather an idea. His goal is to capture a narrative in an image that can be read and understood by the viewer. 

A great deal of effort seems to go into the shoot and attention to detail. However, post production and editing plays a huge part in his work also.

erik johanson - Bing images

In going behind the scenes of Johansson work, it is clear that some of the techniques shown to us on this course have been used in his production of images. This is clear to see in the Behind the Scenes video I have seen.  BEHIND THE SCENES — ERIK JOHANSSON where the cloning tool is used to remove items from the image.

In terms of creativity, the use of Photoshop to create images that would have been impossible logistically to create in reality is exciting and creates more artistic freedoms. However, I think we run into problems when the are used to remove perceived "imperfections" in models such as the fashion industry.