Creative team Ransom & Mitchell specialize in “photographic-based digital art scenarios and portraits,” combining makeup, costumes, set design, and digital manipulation to create wonderfully evocative art which tends toward the dark side.

They recently did a series called Rough & Ready Sideshow which used handcrafted sets and vintage props to create an old-time sideshow full of spooky freaks.

If you’re handy with Photoshop it’d be fun to theme a party around a stripped-down version of the same idea. Create a generic circus backdrop (or, as a last resort, use a blank wall as a backdrop and then ‘shop in an appropriate background), get a few carnival-type props from a thrift store, and have friends dress as sideshow freaks. Take everyone’s photograph, then after the party you can digitally manipulate the photos to give them extra heads or tentacles instead of legs.

Be sure to check out the rest of Ransom & Mitchell’s portfolio too (a few images are slightly NSFW); their photos all seem like images from some dark fairy tale.

(via BoingBoing)