You can learn a lot about the many ways to use and manipulate color to create cool, captivating compositions just by browsing the work of Sam Sklar, also known to his fans as sklvr. We’re big fans of his shooting style. By using a limited tonal range, he has mastered the art of isolating and emphasizing particular colors in his images. We’re not alone in our awe—at only 21 years old, he has amassed a following of 16,000 on 500px and 42,000 on Instagram by sharing his standout shots.
His thoughtful, proficient use of color for composition is definitely a skill that sets his work apart. We wanted to find out more about the story behind some of our favorite photos, so we recently caught up with sklvr, and he revealed some stories and tips for us. Read on, and get inspired!
“I’m a business student, but I spend most of my free time traveling and taking photos. My work covers a huge range of subjects and settings, and I try to have each image connect with the viewer in a visually stunning way.”
“It’s important to train your eye to frame shots, and see light and color from your own perspective in an appealing way. I took this photo during my first few days of living in Prague for four months. I was really pushing myself to get out and shoot the streets early morning. This scene, composition, and color caught my eye. The street cleaner instantly stood out to me because of his vibrant orange jacket, which—along with the green brush and pant cuffs—seemed to be the only strong colors in the street. I walked up with a 24mm, and grabbed the shot quickly before walking away, trying not to disturb or distract the Czech worker.”
“I captured this shot of the Red October Yeezys the day they came out. A friend of mine got a few pairs on release day, and gave me a pair to shoot. I knew I wanted to take a unique photo of the shoes, so I looked to the snow for contrast against the strong red. I didn’t want to get the bottom of the shoes wet, so I borrowed a wooden panel from his room, and then put it down in the snow. The result was amazing—the shoes pop against the snow and the wood panel adds a layer of mystery to the shot. No two photos are the same and they shouldn’t be edited as such. When editing, try to treat each photo individually.”
“The only way to get better is to practice, and shoot as much as possible. This shot of Caleb Zahm was taken right after New Year’s Day in Chicago. Caleb, Vuhlandes, and I were exploring the city for a couple days, and we wanted to find this yellow staircase. After finding it, Caleb jumped on the railing to let me grab a photo of his feet hanging down. The yellow in the staircase goes really well with the yellow on his hat. The overall tones of the photo worked out well.”
Want more inspiration? Scroll down to see some of his top photos.
To see more of his striking shots, visit Sam Sklar on 500px, follow him on Twitter, or check out his website.
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