© Mark Rubenstein

SCAD alum and former PDN staffer, Mark Rubenstein, migrated from New York to L.A. in 2009, continuing his series of fine-art photography based on post-adolescent adults. Most recently, his work has gained buzz through art blogs and Marc Jacobs’ Bookmarc (where he collaborated on a post card series).  “Each image is unsettling and that’s exactly what I want,” Rubenstein says. “I draw heavily on nostalgia and movies from when I was growing up. Katsuhiro Otomo and Terrence Malick are my biggest influences.” Rubenstein takes his time, only releasing a few images per year when he feels inspired, but his latest work “The Shape of Things to Come,” shows increasing maturity. See more of his work here. – Jessica Gordon

© Pascal Shirley.

Pascal Shirley’s moody photograph of the snowy mountains in California is part of his Winter Warmth series which also incorporates intimate portraits of the people closest to him. Influenced by his former professors Larry Sultan and Jim Goldberg, Shirley is drawn to recording life experiences with his friends and family. These moments, whether constructed or not, are eloquently revealed through Shirley’s attention to light and body gestures. To see more of Shirley’s work click here.

All Photos © Jacqueline Di Milia.

Based in New York, and more recently, California, editorial and fine art photographer, Jacqueline Di Milia, is currently working on this personal body of  work about transcendence in the landscape. Each photograph is made in camera (on film) by building layers of natural imagery to create these landscapes. The final product can sometimes leave uncertainty about which fragments are real, though other images in the series take on a more collage-like approach to the landscape. The work stems from Di Milia’s interest in modern science and the surreal forces of nature.

To see more of Di Milia’s work click here.

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