I'm trying to do some fantasy style portraits that have an elegant and classy look to them. I want to keep the portrait the main focus and do not want to over embellish the photo. I'm needing a little inspiration for this as it is new to me. I have looked through some stuff here in Rosity, but most of it is overdone for what I am after. I would appreciate it if anyone could suggest other artists with similar work that I could browse through, either here or off site. Thanx, Shannon

Ya, I know what you mean, subtlety is not often a first consideration here. Could you help clarify "fantasy"? All glamour is fantasy. I do like what you've done here with the high key lighting and blue hair. Just enough unusual to be unusual.

Misha, because photography is so new to me I can't quite define exactly what I'm looking for. I just want to add some flare to some portraits but keep it classy. I included the above photo to help everyone understand a bit of what I'm after. Feel free to throw any artists names my way and I will check them out. The more I see the more it will help define my taste, I supppose. Sorry I can't be more specific :/

I've been doing some searching on-line, using the phrase "fantasy photography". It has brought up a vast variety of sites, but most are fetish and erotic. I can appreciate some of it as great art and some as trash, same as any form of art, you will always find different levels. Neither of those are what I am looking for, though. I'll continue searching and see of I can find a proper title of the style I'm looking for. If anyone has any idea what you would classify the above photo as (other than fantasy), please let me know :)

Attached Link: http://www.pdnonline.com/legends/archive/lachappelle/lachap1.html

First one off the top of my head would be David LaChapelle.... He's inspirational to me....whimsical, sexy, and a little over the top sometimes.....but never too much....if you know what I mean.... If I had models and expensive equipment at my beck and call this would be the kind of portrait photography I would like to experiment with.... I don't know what do you think...

Attached Link: http://www.staleywise.com/classic_collection.html

This is a classy gallery and there a bunch of links here to some of the best photographers in the Collections link....maybe some of these are what you are looking for?

Those lachappelle photos are wonderful, 'Chelle.

One of my favourites is Marc Collins, a photographer in Germany.(http://www.marccollins.de) Mostly he does very fine erotic shots...me,I like most his beautiful and expressive "Faces" as well as his "Model"-photos. Thanks Chelle, your links are great... wonderful photos!

@Michelle, thanx for both the links. David LaChappelle has a wonderful gallery full of imaginative pieces. I especially liked "Burning Down The House". That type of creativity is a great inspiration! I gotta completely agree with you about wanting to play around with that style of photography...that would be a darn fun job! :D Hate how money has to spoil everything...hmmmpphhtt! Your second link is very classy and I liked it a lot. Truly some excellent portraits in there!! Gave me some great inspiration for lighting, poses and much more. Thanx again for some direction. @Monika, I appreciate the link to Marc Collins' site. I definitely see the attraction to his work, very professional and tasteful. I checked out the links he has and instantly fell in love with Andreas H. Bitesnich photography...there is man who knows how to portray the human body as an art form :P

Id call it surreal (don't know how to spell it) or call it "new age" they call everything else "new age" may as well start a photography genre around it. If there isn't one already.