Who hasn’t had the desire just to be someone else for a while? Dressing up is a way of creating an alter ego, a second skin which one’s behavior can be adjusted to. Regardless of the motivating factors which cause somebody to acquire a costume, the main principle remains the same: the civilian steps behind the mask and turns into somebody else.—Klaus Pichler

In Just The Two Of Us, Austrian photographer Klaus Pichler orchestrates a mysterious series of portraits of people who dress in elaborate costumes, reinventing themselves—be it for fandom, cultural traditions, or just for kicks. Pichler captures his subjects in their homes among their things, juxtaposing the reality of their surroundings with the fantasy of their alternate identity.

This perplexing secret life, so to speak, is not the only determining factor in the success of this series—the elaborate costumes along with Pichler’s thoughtful placing and technical approach bring together a humorous and intriguing body of work that is simply stunning to look at.

Find more of Klaus Pichler’s work at the AnzenbergerGallery and his books in the gallery shop.

This post was contributed by photographer Antone Dolezal.