David Lachapelle
Born - 1963, Connecticut, USA
David Lachapelle is a concept photographer who photographs his subjects with digitally enhanced backgrounds and sets and fancy dress. He turns everyday settings into surreal landscapes where regular people are uprooted by violent storms and sexual fantasies. Lachapelle first became notably famous in the mid 1980s and his influences became clear in his photos as he celebrates the artificial and makes it beautiful, using celebrities and fashion to focus on the issues of societal concerns. his style is surreal, but ironic and he's famous for photographing half naked celebrities in surreal settings, insisting that his work is about creating a "new reality." on first glance, these photographs appear entirely random, but he gives famous people the change to get in on whatever joke there is about them. such as the heavily publicized image of Courtney Love as a drunken mess and Pete Burns as surgery obsessed. his collection of photographs entitled Artists and Prostitutes features portraits of celebrities that have strong social impact; Paris Hilton, 2Pac, Pamela Anderson and Marilyn Manson, on which he comments, "If there's an exhibitionist left who wants his or her picture taken, I'll take it." Illustrating his desire for provocation.