Insta Fav #91: Sam Elkins
- Words
- Caroline Kurze
Being only 17 years old, Sam Elkins already developed quite an eye for beautiful portraits and great landscape shots. Our Insta Fav #91 is living in Auburn, close to Seattle where he’s currently finishing Highschool and working as a professional photography besides. We have to admit that we’re having a soft spot for the majestic landscapes of the Pacific Northwest and we intended to concentrate less on Instagrammers from that region though we just had to introduce you to this young talent and his beautiful imagery and we’re looking forward to see more from him soon.
+ Read MoreFollow: @samuelelkins
Where are you from? How does that place influence the way you photograph?
My name is Sam Elkins, and I am from a small town called Auburn which is about 30 miles south of Seattle. Growing up in the pacific northwest has influenced me heavily as an artist. Being surrounded by epic mountains, rugged terrain and reflecting lakes is one of my favorite things, but at times it feels a bit limiting. When i go to a spot, I find myself trying out new creative ideas, like portraits with epic backgrounds, different angles, etc. It adds for much more creative potential.
What are your favorite environments to shoot in?
I love being up high in the mountains, with rain and fog. The gloomy lighting makes for incredible light for both portraits and landscapes.
What are the strengths of shooting primarily mobile? How does this affect your imagery?
I love the simplicity, ease and potential of shooting with a phone. I find myself always bringing my phone with me wherever I go, so the possibilities are endless to create photos. Even though I love to shoot with my DSLR, shooting with the iPhone just makes sense and it takes a lot less effort to shoot, edit and share an image.
Who and what are the things that inspire you?
Living in the pacific northwest my entire life, I love peoples work from other parts of the country. Because I mainly shoot landscapes and portraits, its awesome to see the work of @sonofnasser, @visualmemories & @sammyeasterling on my feed. They all have completely different styles and shooting types than me, which inspires me to try out new things.
Tell us a little about your everyday.
Currently, I am a senior in Highschool, which takes up the majority of my time. Being only 17 years old, I find it hard to find time to shoot, have a social life, and go to school full time. Usually on the weekends you’ll find me out exploring all that Washington has to offer, as well as doing portrait shoots and commercial work.
Which Apps do you use to edit your pictures?
I love VSCOCam and Snapped. Together they make a great pair, complimenting each other perfectly. Snapseed is great for selective edits, while vsco’s endless presets make for a quick, efficient tool for editing.
If you’d like to become a future Insta Fav, follow @ignant or post your profile in the comments below. We’ll look into it.
