Elena Kalis

Elena Kalis

Elena Kalis is an underwater photographer based in the Bahamas'. She lives on a small tropical island and spends a lot of time in the water, which for felt that it would be the best place to experiment with her work.

Kalis originally trained as an artist but decided to take up photography as a new way to express herself. she shoots in both pools and the ocean but prefers the ocean even though it is more difficult due to currents and it is difficult to control your movement therefore it takes many shots to get it right, however the ocean has a beautiful natural stage of fish, corals and it provides spectacular lighting.
Kalis says: "The underwater environment is dreamlike and lucid and just a different world overall. I feel fusion of respect, awe, sensuality, and mystery when shooting underwater and in the ocean in particular". Elena uses a Canon 5D and 5D mark II and selection of canon prime lenses and underwater lighting if there is not enough illumination. With this equipment she creates photo essays and photographic series the she describes as "emotional fairytale". The fairytale-like part is very vivid in her own version of "Alice in wonderland".  It struck Kalis that being underwater was like the place Alice found herself in when she fell down the rabbit hole-this instance being a different perception of reality. From here on out Kalis pushed her imagination, which cam to interesting oppurtunities for Alices adventures in a parallel universe.
These series of images took two long years to create Kalis says: "I can't say that the series is finished even now, I still have a lot of ideas I want to try". Just like majority of her creations "Alice in Wonderland" is a "work in progress".
Kalis has said that she is very proud of the fact that her work has encouraged and inspired hoers to follow this particular style of photography and experiment with their cameras. She says she is also incredibly proud of her daughter Sacha who is a recurring model in her images specifically the "Alice in Wonderland" series Elena says: "she is my muse and my little mermaid".
Kalis has advice for anyone who wishes follow down this path she says: "Don't let the equipment stop you from experimenting and trying new ideas, even the iPhone has a housing these days and you can get a simple protective bag for your to try it out. Even with fairly basic equipment, there are still many effects to be explored and all it takes is a few days on a holiday near clear and warm water".

http://www.elenakalisphoto.com

http://issuu.com/elenakalis/docs/ragmag

http://issuu.com/elenakalis/docs/digital_photo_uk

Post by Jackie

Joel Robison

Joel Robison (boy_wonder, as he's known as on Flickr) is a self taught, conceptual portrait photographer. He grew up and is currently based in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. Robison has always been interested in art and expressing himself. He only started becoming interested in photography over 4 years ago and has already made an impact in the photography world.

Torn

Robison's work is know to primarily feature self portraits which have been taken in the vast expanse of the British Columbian wilderness. Living in a small town, it is often hard to find people willing to be in his conceptual photographs. Robison heavily relies on himself in his photographs to express his personal thoughts and ideas. Using himself as the model helps him to illustrate those ideas best.

Robison said "It certainly is easier to take your time and really plan out an idea when you're not worrying about instructing or directing another person. I usually plan out each shoot with a brief story written down, then I draw out the photo in a sketchbook and try to figure out the location, angle and everything I might need to enhance or support the photo."
http://explorecreaterepeat.com/articles/interviews-joel-robison

Robison began taking self portraits because he was self conscious about being a photographer. "I didn't think people would understand my concepts or want to participate in something that wasn't "traditional" photography."

However, over the past couple of years Robison has branched out to work with other people and is incorporating them more frequently into his photographs. "I really enjoy being able to use myself in a variety of images to show that one person can be interpreted or photographed in a variety of ways, but I also love being able to capture someone else’s emotions and personality in a photograph." http://phlearn.com/phlearn-interviews-joel-robison

Remnants

Light Harvest

You can't come across Robison's photographs and not go on a magical journey. Whether it be cycling through the sky or being in the land Where The Wild Things Are, you can't help but find yourself lost in the magical worlds he creates.

We Are All Wild Things Now

Flying Contraption

Closing One Chapter

Robison seems to enjoy creating whimsical worlds where size, scale, movement and functions that don't play by the rules as we know. Some of Robison's photographs also depict scenes from novels. These photographs give the viewer a chance to both interpret Robison's idea in the photo and also come up with their own version of the story. It also gives a chance to have an open conversation around his work because not everyone's interpretation will be the same. Robison "really likes to express stories through photos because it gives a balance between literature and art." 

Shadowland

Much of Robison's work is shot using the Brenizer Method.

The Brenizer Method is a photographic technique developed by wedding photographer Ryan Brenizer. It allows for the creation of an image exhibiting a shallow depth of field in tandem with a wide angle of view by use of panoramic stitching techniques in portraiture.

Using the Brenizer Method it allows you to piece together the photographs the way you want them to look. Robison has "always been attracted to art with negative space." This is evident in his photographs as he includes open areas in his photos. This allows the photo to be uncluttered and allows the use of space to help interpret the story.

Lift Me Up

Robison is constantly creating new photographs. He finds inspiration through his thoughts, fears, goals and dreams with other people. Robison also stays inspired by connecting with other artists who have a similar style as him. "I create because I like to show a part of my world or myself and that's what motivates me to keep working."

If Joel Robison has inspired you, like he has inspired me here is a piece of advice he would give to aspiring photographers. "Learn everything that your camera does and how you can change the settings depending on the photos that you want to take and the environment that you're in. Take pictures of everything and try new things to develop your style."

Imagination is the Treasure

If you wish to see more of Joel Robison's work here is his website. http://joelrobison.com/

 Posted By Jess