Berger's photographs feel like instant punctum but there’s layers upon layers to absorb.

If you’re active on Instagram, you’ve likely been struck by Kyle Berger, aka @kyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyle’s instant-woah photos of owls, raccoons, eagles, fast food signs and other animals, people, and objects thrown jarringly into suburban landscapes. Golden arches loom ominously behind flash-blasted foliage. Flames smoke and engulf a lone black sedan on a thruway. A bear sneaks up on a smiling baby from behind a tree. In all of Berger’s photos, there’s something humorously off. They’re intentionally unreal – at once creepy and funny, throwing light jabs at the absurdity of contemporary suburbia and declining strip mall culture.

Most of Berger's photos are digitally altered, but, like KangHee Kim aka @TinyCactus, Laura Hendricks aka @hav_house, and countless others, representing “truth” or having a photo “look real” is irrelevant. I spoke with Kyle to learn more.

Jon Feinstein in conversation with Kyle Berger