An illustrated A to Z of horror featuring jaw-droppingly amazing macabre photography from the talented horror artists of dA.

This article has been a looong time coming! The groundwork was laid by ^Katerina423 while she was looking after the horror gallery and I've finally managed to get it finished and submitted. There's some useful information, some interesting people to Google and loads of excellent thumbs to be inspired by.

The pictures in this article range from new stuff with very few favourites to Daily Deviations and well-known photos, created by a variety of deviants from seasoned professionals to new younger artists. If you see something that you love here, take a few moments to visit the artist's gallery to leave a comment and show your support for dA's awesome horror photographers. Enjoy!

A is for Atmosphere

Atmosphere refers to the overall environment, mood and emotional tone of a photograph. It is the single most important factor in horror photography. Without the proper atmosphere, horror just doesn't work. Freddy Kruger in a field of daisies on a bright summer day just isn't as as scary as when he is down in the grungy basement of your nightmares.

B is for Blood

Blood is one of the most widely used elements in horror art, from those tell-tale drops on the floor to full-on explosive gore. Whether you favour ultra-realistic injuries or vintage horror film blood-baths, remember that images of self-harm are not permitted on dA so please keep your blood effects fun and fake!

C is for Cemeteries

Cemeteries are naturally dark and morbid. With that much death around you, it's hard not to feel at least a little uneasy. However, a shot of a cemetery at noon on a Tuesday is hardly horrific. If you want to create horror art in a cemetery, be sure to have as much atmosphere as possible.

D is for Drama

Drama.. the word itself has so many meanings. I am referring specifically to the highly emotional and vivid aspects of art. Also, there is definitely a need for the dramatic: a lot of horror art is about acting and depicting a character.

E is for Eww!

Horror art is one genre where "That's so disgusting!" can be a desired comment!

F is for Film

Horror films inspire the hell out of us and there are some awesome ones on dA too. So, take a step out of the photography gallery for a moment and watch these gems from dA's film and animation gallery.

G is for Gore

Blood and guts, slimy entrails and things that make you go ick! Remember to mark your work with a Mature Content tag if it's too horrific to inflict upon those with a delicate disposition.

H is for Hitchcock

Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho, The Birds...the list goes on (and on and on). Generations of horror lovers have been entertained and inspired by the work of Sir Alfred, and made a little bit fearful of what may appear from behind the shower curtain.

I is for Intensity

Intensity of emotion and of shocking visual elements are important parts of horror photography. The pictures we remember best are usually the ones that smack us in the face the second we see them.

J is for Japanese Horror

Whether you prefer the originals or the Western remakes, there's no denying that Japanese horror films like The Ring have are a huge influence for horror artists.

K is for King, Stephen

Stephen King is one of the most prolific horror writers of our time, having penned such scary classics as Pet Cemetery, Salem's Lot and It. An interesting fact - the fear of clowns is called coulrophobia...

L is for Liquid Latex

From gory wounds to peel-off skin to paint-on clothing, liquid latex is a staple of the horror art world.

M is for Macabre

ma⋅ca⋅bre [muh-kah-bruh, -kahb, -kah-ber] –adjective
1. gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible.
2. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect.
3. of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.
_{- from Dictionary.com}

N is for Nosferatu

Released in 1922, an authorised adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Nosferatu was one of the first vampire films.

O is for Overwhelming

This one goes hand in hand with Intensity. A strong emotional impact is what most of us strive for with our horror photos.

P is for Psychological

Not all horror is gory horror. Some of the most chilling pictures you'll see are ones that mess with your mind and leave you imagining all sorts of horrible stories.

Q is for Quiver

The quivers and shakes that you feel crawling up your spine like icy fingers...

R is for Razor

Razor blades, like scalpels and daggers, are popular props in horror photos. If you're incorporating sharp things into your art, be careful! Any blade can be considerably blunted by cutting lots of paper with it prior to using it in your photos.

S is for Supernatural

Ghosts, spirits, poltergeists...supernatural entities provide us with a challenge for our photography techniques.

T is for Thrill and Suspense

The thrill of horror makes you feel alive. Sure, some people enjoy horror just because they like to play on the dark side of the playground, but the psychological reason for enjoying the thrill is that release of adrenalin when...BOO!! The monster jumps out of the closet...and it makes you feel alive. That adrenalin rush is addictive.

U is for Unknown

Is a fear of the dark really just a fear of what might be hiding in there, waiting for you? The horrors in our heads are often so much more vivid than those we see in films and pictures. Horror photos that hint at something scary instead of showing it all to you can be among the creepiest you'll see because they make your imagination work in overdrive.

V is for Violence

Where would horror art be without well-crafted theatrical violence?

W is for Witkin, Joel-Peter

Joel-Peter Witkin is an American photographer famed for photographing corpses, dwarves, transsexuals, hermaphrodites and physically deformed people. He also worked as a war photographer in Vietnam during the 1960s.

X is for X-treme

One of the big draws to horror art is the fact that it explores the extremes of human emotion. For sheer terror, to madness, to love in the form of obsession, to anger. Horror art explores a huge range of emotions.

Y is for Yuck!

A bit like Eww, but it begins with Y. Cause I needed something beginning with a Y.

Z is for Zombies

From the slow lumbering traditional zombies to the fast-running modern ones, everyone loves the brain-eating undead!