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Brooke Shaden Dazzles Again with Beautifully Surreal Photos


Los Angeles-based photographer Brooke Shaden crafts hauntingly-beautiful works that seem to live in their own world. As we've seen before, she's no stranger to composing dark-yet-hopeful images of women in surreal settings. People shine and objects levitate in outdoor landscapes whose dreamy coloring evokes a painterly quality to the work. It's clear that a lot of care and consideration was given to every part of the surrounding environment, and we see small-yet-fantastic details like a field of wildflowers or colorful teal rocks in the background.

Movement is important in Shaden's work. Every subject has a very specific and acute way in which they're posed, and it makes their hair, dress, and other elements flow throughout the composition. It creates a lyrical type of story-telling, and Shaden's work sings lovely songs of women being inspired, and passionate, while enjoying the exquisite beauty of the world. Her unique vision brings out the dreamer in all of us.








Brooke Shaden Flickr and website

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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