# Dystopic Surreal Photography Karen Khachaturov's Work Shows Subjects in an Eerie Dream-Like World By Riley von Niessen | Published 2016-10-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surreal-photograph References: [fubiz.net](http://www.fubiz.net/en/2016/10/11/pastel-and-surprising-photographs-by-karen-khachaturov/) & [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/karenkhachaturov_photographer/) Karen Khachaturov, an American creative, has a talent for lensing and editing surreal photographs that work to warp one's perception of reality. She manages this by adjusting the color in each of the images to be a unique cotton candy pink -- making it look as though the subjects are immersed in a strange cartoon-like world. In order to enhance this, she uses a series of unconventional props as well, some of which include [glossy mannequin parts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pavilions-of-wonder), pants with extravagantly extended legs, rubber gloves and industrial objects. In this, the surreal photographs combine a [vibrant and positive atmosphere](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorama) with obscure additions -- giving it a feel that's a little dystopic as the subjects seem to lose much of their humanity in the process. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 83% | Activity: 55% | 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) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Cotton Candy Aesthetics:** Exploring the use of unique color palettes like cotton candy pink to create surreal and dream-like images. - **Unconventional Props:** Using unexpected objects and props to create a juxtaposition and enhance the surreal atmosphere in photographs. - **Dystopic Surrealism:** Blending vibrant and positive elements with obscure additions to create a dystopian-like atmosphere in photography. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Photography:** Opportunity for photographers to experiment with unconventional color palettes and props to create unique and captivating images. - **Art and Design:** Opportunity for artists and designers to explore surrealism and dystopic themes in their creative works. - **Fashion and Advertising:** Opportunity for fashion brands and advertising agencies to incorporate surreal elements and unconventional props to create visually striking campaigns. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Artsy Surrealist Tableware](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gohar-world.md) - [Surrealist Shopping Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreams-is.md) - [Statement Street Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surreal-street-art-1.md) - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md) - [AI-Generated Real-World Transformations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-generated-world.md) - [AI-Generated Retrofuturistic Objects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retrofuturistic-objects.md) - [Vibrantly Colorful Dynamic Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kayla-rumpp.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Surrealist Pink Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-unreal-popup-shop.md)