In the photographs of A.M. Ewings, a body lies still in a bathtub, crazed clowns smile on maniacally in a field of flowers, and buckets of blood cover an evil grin. Billing himself as a horror photographer, Ewings' work plays out like a slasher flick, and he's quickly amassed a huge following on Facebook with over three million fans. Now, Ewings brings an immersive element to his photography with the use of 360 view photos each depicting a scene more terrifying than the last. These blood-soaked pictures, both the traditional and the 360 views, aim to surprise, disgust or otherwise affect the viewer in a way that less bloody material often has difficulty doing.
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The photographs call on plenty of signposts from the visual history of slasher horror, with images that could be pulled straight from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And though that's an easy first comparison, a lot of the work depicts a more gleeful approach to violence reminiscent of obscure slasher movies like Happy Birthday to Me and the modern filmic output of Rob Zombie.
Ewings' work really shines in the 360 view photographs that he creates, where the image could veer off into gimmick, but remains fresh and frightening thanks to Ewings' meticulous presentation. In all his scenes, there are plenty of things to look at, but only one thing to scare the viewer. By naturally starting the 360 image away from the frightening figure lurking in the corner, Ewings successfully creates a jump-scare with still photography. This level of viewer participation elevates the work beyond creepy image and into something more frightening and powerful.
Ewings is also moving into the realm of 360 videos, and in each one the viewer is put into an uncomfortable position, usually with a front row seat to something terrible happening. These works are most effective when, like the video below, the audience is given a first-person position via the 360 camera, and is made to feel as though they're the ones being terrorized.
To see more of A.M. Ewings terrifying and immersive works, check him out on Facebook.Related:The Twisted Body Horror Paintings of SelfishLittleThe Psychology of What Makes an Image "Horror"'Mortal Remains' Is a Throwback to Horror's Golden Years