The Dark Photography of April Taylor

I few days ago I was contacted by one April A. Taylor, who must have heard that I support independent horror themed photography (at least I’d like to think so) and after I trolled around her site and took a look at her photography I was stunned. To describe her photography is quite hard and many of those who covered it stole the words right out of my mouth, however I still want to express my opinion. Her photography is shocking in the sense of how graphic the pictures are. Each photo looks as though it was taken on an old camera, which is probably wasn’t, but it gives the illusion that the photos are grainy, raw and vintage. The angles are incredibly stylized, which only enhances the beauty of each photo; it sort of reads like a comic book. The subject of each photo is incredibly haunting and very morbid… as one has already stated it’s “quite disturbing” and I couldn’t agree more.

Rather than bore anybody with just one paragraph stating my opinion on April’s photography, I think I will pick out some choice selections from her ‘Dark Art’ section. That way I can expand on some specific thoughts.

A Twisted Fairytale

The picture on the front of the webpage immediately captivated me and I had to find out where it was from. I found out that it was from a photo compilation known as A Twisted Fairytale. Now, in honesty, I’m not sure if it tells a story but I love the way the model was photographed. With the filters and the grain, it gives the photos this vintage and rugged look as though it was taken during the 1800s… a perfect period in which a fairytale could have been set.

Loss of Innocents

This compilation looks as though it’s set during the post-apocalypse. Each photo was taken crooked, giving them a distorted look and causing emotions of awe and weirdness. The filters give the photos this grungy and almost desolate look to the photo. I also like how the model is wearing a gas mask; typifying the existence of the nuclear apocalypse. The compilation is named Loss of Innocents and I think that is a perfect title because even in today’s day and age, innocents is gone and when something happens as cataclysmic as a nuclear bomb… innocents (what little of it is left) would be whipped out.

She’s Dead

This is one of the more disturbing photo compilation and I think that’s partly due to the fact that the lighting and makeup make the model look as though she is dead. The compilation looks like typical post-mortis photography but there is something about it that’s very disturbing and quite haunting. Perhaps it’s the attention to detail like the ice or maybe the fact that the model is wrapped in plastic…. I’m not sure. Personally, the photo above is my favorite because in evokes shivers and makes the picture feel cold.

Forest of the Undead

In this compilation it looks as though there is a story being told and I think the story here is similar to Near Dark only in opposites. Here, the girl has fallen in love with somebody and he is turned into a zombie. They seclude themselves from other people by living the forest and she provides him with food, even if it means herself. I like the way these were shot because it gives the stills a sense of grindhouse with the grain, over exposure and rich colors.

Again, these are just my personal favorite compilations but if you want to look at more of her work, please visit her webpage here.