IN PICTURES: The way this dad captures family life blows our minds

Swiss-based father and artist John Wilhelm has put a whole new spin on regular shmegular parenthood and the meaning of "hobby" entirely! 

His images are like something out of a dream world, featuring his wife, Judith, and four children, Lou, Mila, Yuna and Nio, in scenarios which John describes as "realisations of spontaneously popping up ideas." 

• Also see: IN PICTURES: Dad's parody maternity shoot will have you in pieces 

'Don't lick frozen metal bars' 

'Pump up the volume!'

'Dreaming of the ocean'

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"I also try to give [the images] a deeper meaning but most of the time they get funny anyway," he told Parent24. 

But they're much more than that. 

They're provocative and edgy and probably what Tim Burton's home life looks like. 

'Dandelion self-defence'

'Yeah! It's a photographer!'

'Toilet paper harvest'

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The self-professed photoholic grew up surrounded by darkrooms, lenses and cameras, his immense talent for capturing and manipulating imagery inspired by his father, who was himself a hobby-photographer. 

"I found a large studio flash as a boy, fired it right in my eyes and had violet dots for almost a day," he recalls. 

'Knitting needle & wall socket'

'Snow Angel - Springtime Edition'

'Good weather umbrella'

'Catch it like a dog'

• Also see: Picture perfect: behind the scenes of captivating newborn triplets photoshoot 

Even though the photos are no easy feat to pull off, John says it's becoming something the kids love being a part of. 

"The shoots are actually pretty hard work... meanwhile the kids love to be part of the images and sometimes they even have an argument now and then about who can come with me to my little attic photo studio to realise a project."

'Don't touch my book little sister'

'Just an unclogged toilet'

'A gentle way to pull another milk tooth'

'Just a nightly encounter'

'Butje butje in de see'

'Children have no choice! Stop war!'

When asked about plans to make the hobby a full-time money-making effort, the artist replied, "Perhaps... the question is: What would be my hobby then?"

Check out more by John Wilhelm on his social pages – Instagram or Facebook – or visit www.johnwilhelm.ch. 

What hobby runs in your family? Tell us in the comments section below or send your stories and images to chatback@parent24.com, and we may publish them. 

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