Whimsical Art Collection - What Hands Can Do

Hey, I know what you're thinking. I don't have a hand fetish, okay? This photoshop collection isn't about the beauty of the hand but rather about how we can turn anything and everything into art. But why hands? I guess I just admire the complex and odd anatomy of them. Human hands, no matter how dainty or hideous, can perform a wide range of motion and express certain sentiments in simplistic ways. For example, words of profanity and excessive screaming are often used to demonstrate anger, but the middle finger can actually convey the same message just as well.

The hands in most of these pictures are mine. But since it was extremely difficult to take photos of my two hands at once (unless I learned how to snap the shutter with my teeth or toes), I also resorted to a hand model who worked for free and also bought me dinner. Yeah, he's my boyfriend, so saying "no" wasn't an option for him. Before you take a look at my hand photos, let me give you a heads up that I haven't paid a visit to my manicurist for a very long time, and my model's hands may somewhat resemble paws. Like I said, this photo collection isn't meant to depict the seductiveness of hands.

***All these images are copyrighted by the photographer, Om Paramapoonya. Downloading these pictures for selling or redistribution is prohibited. However, you may use these pictures to illustrate your websites or blogs as long as you properly include photo credits and provide at least one link back to this article.***

Have you ever noticed the uncanny similarity between human hands and tree branches? When I'm in the yoga tree pose, I sometimes imagine stringy roots protruding from my toes and diving deep into the ground, as my twiggy arms reach up higher and higher. Like trees, we are constantly changing and growing in some ways.

All the hands in this picture belong to my unpaid model. I initially didn't think I could use pictures of his coarse hands and stubby fingers to replicate something so delicate like a lotus. Obviously, I was wrong. Perhaps there's grace in everything. If we look for it, we might find it even in an unlikely place.

The fist symbolizes power and determination. One person's determination alone may or may not lead to a desired outcome. But when people join their fists together and work for the same goal, the power will multiply and something beautiful can emerge from it.

What do you see in this photo? A weird photoshop picture of hands that reminds you of a sunflower? Or a hungry underworld monster waiting to suck its prey into that dark orifice? To me, it is both a sunflower and a monster.

Music has never been my forte. I sing like a croaking frog. When I was ten, I quit my piano class after three weeks. At twelve, my violin performance caused a horrified look on many faces. I gave up music soon after that and have simply remained in the audience ever since. But if I was to invent one musical instrument, it would be a keyboard that resembles an endless row of fingers. Again I would like to insist I don't have a hand fetish at all.

I once heard someone said that everything on earth is made of the same fiber of the universe. A hand and a leaf both come from the same origin and will inevitably face the same ending. I don't think this idea makes much sense but I like it a lot. Oh, how hippie of me.

When we look at people, even those we think we know so well, do we see the whole pictures of them or only fragments of them? This is a photo of me, but from what I can see through the hand mask, I hardly recognize myself.

I took this photo right after my hand model just finished jogging around the park. It seemed like he wanted to sit down or walk home to rest, but I had an idea for a shot and insisted we had to do it right away. As exhausted as he was, he cooperated. I like this photo of his pawlike hands a lot. Thanks, Steve.

Since December is approaching, I wanted to include something Christmasy in my photoshop collection. The first thing that came to my mind was the cholesterol-prone bearded man and his lovely sleigh, but it might be way beyond my ability to replicate that with photos of hands, so I decided to go with the reindeer instead.

Whimsicality is my proudest virtue, and this picture proves just that.