In a day and age when Photoshopping has become the cheap alternative to botox, everyone knows how to give images a little nip and tuck. We all know to hold down shift when transforming, the dodge tool is miraculous once you work it out what the flip it's for, and wouldn't every man like a magnetic lasso to make shaving utterly effortless? However, can you cut up two models into tiny little pieces, carefully place them inside a box of straw, and present them to the public? Nup. Didn't think so.
Not only is Hugh Kretschmer a great photographer, but if you gave him an Adobe suite and a bottle of red, he could make even Mickey Rourke look vaguely normal. Although he alters the bejesus out of the original images, the result is always highly realistic, producing that fabulous "What the?!" effect (oh
Rove, we don't really miss you).
The idea is key here. Not only does the man have numerous talents, but he has to come up with the concepts first. After taking a series of photos, Kretschmer expertly alters them to create witty, sardonic images of mostly consumerism and materialism. He has worked for clients such as Mastercard, Evian, Esquire, and other hoighty-toighty names that somewhat ironically suit the nature of his work.
More at
hughkretschmer.net.