In the world of art, Surrealist photography continues to inspire and challenge contemporary artists to explore the mysteries of human existence through their works. This collection of 50 creative prompts provides a detailed description of subjects to be drawn, along with modifiers such as art genres, styles, mediums and techniques, lighting settings, color settings, and suitable descriptive terms. From ethereal landscapes to cosmic visions, these prompts are designed to spark the imagination and create breathtaking, thought-provoking images that capture the spirit of the Surrealist movement. Whether you’re an experienced artist or just starting out, these prompts offer endless possibilities for creating stunning and unique Surrealist photography.

50 creative text-to-image prompts for surrealist photography surrealistic wonderland

1. A black-and-white photograph of a man’s face with an eye in his mouth; Horror, Mystery; Surrealist photography; Gelatin silver print, Solarization; Dark, contrasted lighting; Monochromatic, grayscale colors; disturbing, grotesque; by Man Ray, Roger Parry, and Joel-Peter Witkin; Unreal engine 5
2. A color photograph of a woman’s body with a clock for a head; Time, Identity; Surrealist photography; Digital, Photoshop; Bright, natural lighting; Warm, realistic colors; surreal, symbolic; by Cindy Sherman, Salvador Dali, and Jerry Uelsmann; Unreal engine 5
3. A sepia photograph of a street scene with a giant hand reaching out of a building; Fantasy, Urban; Surrealist photography; Daguerreotype, Collage; Soft, diffused lighting; Sepia, vintage colors; whimsical, nostalgic; by Eugène Atget, André Breton, and Duane Michals; Unreal engine 5
4. A color photograph of a forest scene with a melting violin hanging from a tree; Music, Nature; Surrealist photography; Polaroid, Double exposure; Cool, ambient lighting; Vibrant, complementary colors; enchanting, musical; by Ansel Adams, René Magritte, and David Hockney; Unreal engine 5
5. A black-and-white photograph of a desert landscape with a pair of scissors cutting the horizon; Absurdity, Space; Surrealist photography; Film, Montage; Harsh, direct lighting; Monochromatic, high-contrast colors; bizarre, geometric; by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Max Ernst, and John Heartfield; Unreal engine 5
6. A color photograph of a beach scene with a fish wearing a hat and sunglasses; Humor, Sea; Surrealist photography; Digital, Manipulation; Bright, direct lighting; Cool, saturated colors; funny, surreal; by Martin Parr, Joan Miró, and Sandy Skoglund; Unreal engine 5
7. A black-and-white photograph of a bedroom scene with a bed made of clouds and a ladder leading to the ceiling; Dream, Home; Surrealist photography; Film, In-camera effect; Soft, natural lighting; Monochromatic, low-contrast colors; cozy, dreamy; by Robert Doisneau, Yves Tanguy, and Francesca Woodman; Unreal engine 5
8. A color photograph of a garden scene with a woman’s face made of flowers and butterflies; Beauty, Nature; Surrealist photography; Digital, Composite; Bright, scattered lighting; Pastel, harmonious colors; beautiful, floral; by Annie Leibovitz, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Kirsty Mitchell; Unreal engine 5
9. A sepia photograph of a war scene with a soldier holding a bouquet of roses instead of a gun; Peace, War; Surrealist photography; Daguerreotype, Collage; Harsh, contrasted lighting; Sepia, vintage colors; poignant, ironic; by Robert Capa, Marcel Duchamp, and Banksy; Unreal engine 5
10. A color photograph of a circus scene with a lion riding a bicycle and a clown juggling fireballs; Fun, Danger; Surrealist photography; Polaroid, Double exposure; Bright, festive lighting; Vibrant, primary colors; amusing, thrilling; by Diane Arbus, Marc Chagall, and Tim Walker; Unreal engine 5
11. A black-and-white photograph of a city scene with a giant eye looking over the buildings; Vision, Urban; Surrealist photography; Gelatin silver print, Solarization; Dark, contrasted lighting; Monochromatic, grayscale colors; eerie, surreal; by Brassaï, Man Ray, and Ralph Gibson; Unreal engine 5
12. A color photograph of a forest scene with a woman’s body covered in moss and mushrooms; Nature, Decay; Surrealist photography; Digital, Photoshop; Cool, ambient lighting; Earthy, realistic colors; organic, mysterious; by Edward Weston, Salvador Dali, and Gregory Crewdson; Unreal engine 5
13. A sepia photograph of a train station scene with a clock melting on the platform; Time, Travel; Surrealist photography; Daguerreotype, Collage; Soft, diffused lighting; Sepia, vintage colors; nostalgic, absurd; by Eugène Atget, Salvador Dali, and Duane Michals; Unreal engine 5
14. A color photograph of a sky scene with a flock of birds forming a human face; Freedom, Identity; Surrealist photography; Digital, Composite; Bright, natural lighting; Cool, complementary colors; liberating, symbolic; by Yousuf Karsh, René Magritte, and Andreas Gursky; Unreal engine 5
15. A black-and-white photograph of a museum scene with a dinosaur skeleton coming to life and chasing the visitors; History, Fantasy; Surrealist photography; Film, In-camera effect; Bright, direct lighting; Monochromatic, high-contrast colors; thrilling, fantastical; by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Max Ernst, and Arthur Tress; Unreal engine 5
16. A color photograph of a kitchen scene with a cake made of human organs and candles; Horror, Food; Surrealist photography; Digital, Manipulation; Bright, contrasted lighting; Warm, saturated colors; disturbing, grotesque; by Cindy Sherman, Salvador Dali, and Joel-Peter Witkin; Unreal engine 5
17. A black-and-white photograph of a bathroom scene with a bathtub filled with fish and seaweed; Sea, Home; Surrealist photography; Film, Montage; Cool, ambient lighting; Monochromatic, low-contrast colors; surreal, aquatic; by Robert Doisneau, Yves Tanguy, and Francesca Woodman; Unreal engine 5
18. A color photograph of a garden scene with a man’s face made of fruits and vegetables; Nature, Beauty; Surrealist photography; Digital, Composite; Bright, scattered lighting; Vibrant, harmonious colors; fresh, colorful; by Annie Leibovitz, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and Kirsty Mitchell; Unreal engine 5
19. A sepia photograph of a library scene with a bookworm crawling out of a book and reading glasses; Literature, Humor; Surrealist photography; Daguerreotype, Collage; Soft, diffused lighting; Sepia, vintage colors; whimsical, nostalgic; by Eugène Atget, André Breton, and Duane Michals; Unreal engine 5
20. A color photograph of a circus scene with a clown riding an elephant and a balloon animal; Fun, Fantasy; Surrealist photography; Polaroid, Double exposure; Bright, festive lighting; Vibrant, primary colors; amusing, whimsical; by Diane Arbus, Marc Chagall, and Tim Walker; Unreal engine 5
21. A photorealistic image of a person with a mirror for a face, reflecting an endless expanse of sky; Surrealism, Conceptual Art; Digital Photography, Double Exposure; Bright, Harsh lighting; Monochromatic with shades of blue; ethereal, cosmic; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Maggie Taylor; Unreal engine 5
22. A distorted image of a city skyline with a fish eye lens, creating a surreal and dystopian atmosphere; Surrealism, Urban Art; Digital Photography, Photo Manipulation; Harsh, Artificial lighting; Monochromatic with shades of gray; eerie, ominous; by Claude Cahun, Dora Maar, and Cindy Sherman; Unreal engine 5
23. A black and white image of a staircase leading to nowhere, with a figure standing at the top, shrouded in fog; Surrealism, Gothic Art; Film Photography, Infrared; Dark, Mysterious lighting; Black and White with high contrast; mysterious, haunting; by Duane Michals, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, and Jerry Uelsmann; Unreal engine 5
24. An image of a human face with an exposed brain and eyes made of clock gears, symbolizing the inner workings of the mind; Surrealism, Steampunk; Digital Photography, Digital Manipulation; Soft, diffused lighting; Monochromatic with shades of sepia; intricate, detailed; by Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, and HR Giger; Unreal engine 5
25. A photograph of a person standing in a field of flowers, but the flowers are upside down and floating in mid-air; Surrealism, Nature; Digital Photography, Levitation; Soft, Natural lighting; Colorful with a pastel color palette; dreamy, ethereal; by Joel-Peter Witkin, Francesca Woodman, and Diane Arbus; Unreal engine 5
26. A monochromatic portrait of a person with their face obscured by a swarm of flying butterflies; Surrealism, Portraiture; Double Exposure, Photomontage; Dimly-lit, with flickering light; Black and White with shades of grey; ethereal, mysterious, gossamer; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Ellen Rogers; Unreal engine 5
27. An otherworldly landscape featuring floating islands and a spiral staircase leading into the clouds; Surrealism, Landscape; Multiple Exposure, Photomanipulation; Brightly-lit, with radiant sunshine rays; Vibrant and colorful, with a golden hour glow; dreamlike, fantastical, cosmic; by René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, and Max Ernst; Unreal engine 5
28. A photorealistic image of a human heart suspended in mid-air, with wings and a keyhole on the surface; Surrealism, Anatomy; Photo Manipulation, Macro Photography; Dark and moody, with ominous undertones; Red and Black with a metallic sheen; intricate, detailed, ominous; by Dora Maar, André Breton, and Claude Cahun; Unreal engine 5
29. A distorted, fragmented portrait of a person’s face, with multiple eyes and mouths in different sizes and orientations; Surrealism, Portraiture; Photomontage, Digital Art; Starkly lit, with harsh shadows and contrasts; Monochromatic with shades of blue and green; eerie, dystopian, unsettling; by Meret Oppenheim, Hans Bellmer, and Grete Stern; Unreal engine 5
30. A surreal still life featuring everyday objects like a vase, a book, and a clock, all melting and warping as if made of wax; Surrealism, Still life; Photomanipulation, Multiple Exposure; Low-key lighting, with a dim and shadowy atmosphere; Monochromatic with shades of brown and sepia; eerie, eldritch, uncanny; by Salvador Dalí, Giorgio de Chirico, and René Magritte; Unreal engine 5
31. A humanoid figure made entirely out of glittering, geometric shapes and patterns, standing on a desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape; Sci-fi, Abstract; Surrealist photography; Digital manipulation, Double exposure; Low-key lighting with stark contrasts; Monochromatic with shades of silver and black; complex, futuristic; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Duane Michals; Unreal engine 5
32. A collection of floating, iridescent orbs, suspended in mid-air against a starry, galactic backdrop; Abstract, Sci-fi; Surrealist photography; Photomontage, Distortion; High-key lighting with bright, neon colors; Iridescent and glowing; ethereal, cosmic; by Sarah Moon, Dora Maar, and Edward Weston; Unreal engine 5
33. A towering, intricate cityscape composed of thousands of brightly colored butterflies; Fantasy, Abstract; Surrealist photography; Macro photography, Digital manipulation; Soft lighting with pastel hues; Multicolored with shades of pink, blue, and green; beautiful, delicate; by Jerry Uelsmann, Man Ray, and Cindy Sherman; Unreal engine 5
34. A dense, tangled forest made entirely out of human hair, with an otherworldly creature peering out from behind a tree; Horror, Fantasy; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage; Low-key lighting with deep shadows; Monochromatic with shades of black and gray; eerie, unsettling; by Claude Cahun, Francesca Woodman, and Diane Arbus; Unreal engine 5
35. An otherworldly landscape composed of rippling, metallic waves, with a lone figure perched on top of a massive, towering structure in the distance; Sci-fi, Abstract; Surrealist photography; Digital manipulation, Double exposure; High-key lighting with bright, neon colors; Metallic and shiny; futuristic, dystopian; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Robert Mapplethorpe; Unreal engine 5
36. A photograph of a person’s face with their eyes replaced by galaxies, and their hair turned into a tree with roots extending into the ground; Portraiture; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage, Distortion; Harsh shadows; Black and white with hints of blue; Ethereal, Cosmic, Elemental; by Man Ray, Claude Cahun, and Jerry Uelsmann; Unreal engine 5
37. A landscape photograph of a forest with trees made of water, and a river flowing through the middle of the forest; Landscape, Nature; Surrealist photography; Long exposure, Photomontage; Soft, diffused lighting; Monochromatic with shades of blue and green; Ethereal, Fantastical, Mysterious; by Lee Miller, Dora Maar, and Maggie Taylor; Unreal engine 5
38. A photograph of a cityscape with skyscrapers made of clouds, and hot air balloons floating in the sky; Cityscape; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage, Distortion; Bright, sunny lighting; Monochromatic with hints of orange and yellow; Futuristic, Dreamlike, Fantastic; by Grete Stern, Raoul Ubac, and Hans Bellmer; Unreal engine 5
39. A photograph of a person standing on a beach, with their shadow replaced by a tree; Portraiture, Landscape; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage; Soft, diffused lighting; Monochromatic with shades of brown and yellow; Elemental, Fantastical, Serene; by Clarence John Laughlin, Duane Michals, and Francesca Woodman; Unreal engine 5
40. A photograph of a person’s hand holding a pocket watch, with the watch replaced by a moon, and the hand surrounded by stars; Portraiture; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage, Distortion; Harsh shadows; Black and white with hints of silver; Cosmic, Intricate, Mysterious; by André Kertész, Germaine Krull, and Helen Levitt; Unreal engine 5
41. An eldritch forest scene with trees and foliage entangled into a figure of a human, with the moon and stars shining through the branches; Dark, Gothic; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Photomontage; Low-key lighting with hints of moonlight; Monochromatic with shades of black and grey; eerie, ominous, mysterious; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Claude Cahun; Unreal engine 5
42. A dystopian cityscape with buildings and skyscrapers made of crystal and glass, and glowing neon lights scattered around; Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi; Surrealist photography; Long exposure, Tilt-shift; Harsh, contrasting lighting with blue and purple hues; Vibrant, futuristic, dazzling; by Daido Moriyama, Ralph Gibson, and Gregory Crewdson; Unreal engine 5
43. An elemental landscape featuring a desert with sand dunes shaped like waves, a clear blue sky, and a towering tornado in the distance; Nature, Weather; Surrealist photography; Infrared, Slow shutter speed; Soft, warm lighting with golden hour colors; Monochromatic with shades of orange and yellow; atmospheric, majestic, powerful; by Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Minor White; Unreal engine 5
44. An intricate and hyper-detailed seascape with a giant octopus emerging from the waves, with a sailing ship in the background and lightning striking in the sky; Fantasy, Nautical; Surrealist photography; High-speed photography, Photomanipulation; Dramatic, contrasty lighting with blue and green hues; Monochromatic with shades of blue and grey; ethereal, mysterious, epic; by Hiroshi Sugimoto, Cindy Sherman, and Vik Muniz; Unreal engine 5
45. A liminal space featuring a long corridor with doors on both sides, with each door leading to a different world, including a forest, a desert, a city, and a galaxy; Science Fiction, Fantasy; Surrealist photography; Multiple exposure, Perspective distortion; Soft, diffused lighting with pastel colors; Monochromatic with shades of pink and blue; dreamy, surreal, limitless; by Francesca Woodman, Jeff Wall, and James Turrell; Unreal engine 5
46. An otherworldly seascape at sunset with a spiral galaxy hanging low in the sky and a lone figure on the shore; Seascape, Landscape; Surrealist photography; Double exposure, Long exposure; Golden hour lighting with a purple and pink tint; Monochromatic with shades of blue; cosmic, ethereal, serene; by Man Ray, Jerry Uelsmann, and Vivian Maier; Unreal engine 5
47. A dystopian cityscape with a giant, ominous ouroboros circling the sky; Cityscape; Surrealist photography; Infrared photography, Photomontage; Low-key lighting with a green and yellow tint; Monochromatic with shades of grey; dark, haunting, surreal; by Jerry Uelsmann, John Heartfield, and Ralph Eugene Meatyard; Unreal engine 5
48. An elaborate, intricate moonscape with a transparent, iridescent sphere hovering in the sky; Landscape; Surrealist photography; Photogram, Photomontage; Ethereal lighting with a purple and orange tint; Monochromatic with shades of grey; cosmic, dreamlike, mysterious; by Man Ray, Hannah Hoch, and Claude Cahun; Unreal engine 5
49. A mysterious, liminal space with a ghostly apparition emerging from a haze of light dust; Limbo; Surrealist photography; Long exposure, Double exposure; Soft lighting with a blue and green tint; Monochromatic with shades of white; eerie, surreal, ethereal; by Francesca Woodman, Dora Maar, and Flor Garduño; Unreal engine 5
50. A hyperdetailed, entangled forest with a gleaming, holographic cube at the center; Landscape; Surrealist photography; Photomontage, Digital manipulation; Golden hour lighting with a green and pink tint; Monochromatic with shades of green; ethereal, mystical, fantastical; by Jerry Uelsmann, Andreas Gursky, and Gregory Crewdson; Unreal engine 5