# Classical Modern Artist Portraits Lives of the Artists by Mike Mellia is Styled After Old Masters By Meghan Young | Published 2013-12-17 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lives-of-the-artists References: [itsnicethat](http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/mike-mellia) & [mikemellia](http://www.mikemellia.com/lives-of-the-artists.html) Inspired by the [old masters of Flemish paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition), the Lives of the Artists photo series is dark, moody and full of depth. It helps that they are [still centered around artists](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/7-paintings-the-art-of-dining), just modern ones. With a particular focus on texture, light and atmosphere, the [studio photoshoot](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/small-muji) hones in on the creative forces embodied by human forms. Each still has a quiet narrative that begs the audience to bring to life with their own imaginations. The Live of the Artist photo series was shot by [Mike Mellia](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfabsorbed-by-mike-mellia), a photographer based in New York City, the same man who gained some notoriety by branding common objects with his own likeness. The series was created for commercial purposes. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 28% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/stylephotography) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Classical-modern Artist Fusion:** Fusing classical and modern art styles to create unique and meaningful visuals for various media. - **Narrative-driven Styling:** Creating visuals with quiet narratives to engage the audience’s imagination. - **Texture-focused Shoots:** Using texture, light, and atmosphere to produce visually stunning and emotional portraits. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Art and Design:** Using classical and modern art styles to create new and engaging visuals for advertising, editorial, and fine art projects. - **Photography:** Exploring new and unique ways to approach photography, using different techniques and textures to produce portraits with emotion and depth. - **Advertising & Marketing:** Incorporating narrative-driven visuals into marketing campaigns to engage audiences and create meaningful connections with brands. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Photography Project Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/still-life-1.md) - [Striking Glass Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-portraits.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Painting-Immersive Photo Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-ground-exhibition.md) - [Traveling Fine Art Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/get-out-there.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [Artful Custom Mirror Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portraits-collection.md) - [Stylized Portrait Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/face-to-all.md) - [AI Portrait Generators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portraitia.md)