A nonconformist to the bone, David Ruff isn’t one to follow trends. While he does aim to create timeless keepsakes for his clients, he’s also not afraid to experiment with multiple exposures and hard light. “I’m a sucker for it,” he says, adding that his age-old obsession with vinyl album art and movies has also made its way onto his list of photographic influences. His work carries a sense of mystery, even a hint at something haunting at times. “I always aim to go further outside the box when shooting, not sticking to any traditional methods,” Ruff says. “The more unconventional, the better.”

Check out the behind-the-scenes stories on some of the photos from his submission.