http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tableau_vivant
Tableau vivant was an approach to picture-making taken up by pioneers of early fine art photography
Today, the approach is exemplified by fine art photographers and artists such as Justine Kurland, Roger Ballen, Jan Saudek, Sandy Skoglund, and Gregory Crewdson.
Radioactive Cats (Sandy Skoglund, 1980)
It is sometimes called “staged photography,” but this is an imprecise term – since the simple posing of fashion models in the street is also ‘staged photography’. Tableau vivant is a more precise term to use, if the staged picture obviously draws on the traditions and conventions of either the theatre or painting.
Gregory Crewdson
“One frame movies” (taken mostly on 8×10 large format color negative film). Dystopic communities, desolated streets and abandoned intersections. A suburban Apocalypse Now Redux.
Gregory Crewdson’s photographs are produced on a feature-film scale, often requiring massive cranes, big lights, and a large crew!
The father
Untitled (Ophelia), 2001