Photographer spotlight: Elena Kalis

Elena Kalis is a young, up and coming female photographer who specialises in underwater fashion photography. She is of Russian heritage and lives in the beautiful Bahamas on a small island, which has inspired her in the creation of her submerged, surreal imagery.

Her favourite shots are taken in the ocean in clear pristine water; however she also shoots in pools when weather or circumstances do not permit. Most of her images are naturally lit and taken on bright days, close to the surface, creating truly enchanting images. There is something especially dream-like about the way in which fabric moves when underwater, and Kalis has a wonderful way of capturing this.

The blue ocean is definitely a tricky environment for any photographer (and model too) however Elena Kalis has turned this into her speciality. Combined with the watery environment, and the movement of fabric underwater, there is also something sometimes celestial about the way light reflects from the surface, abstracting the image and creating an otherworldly atmosphere, making her photos even more magical.

Elena Kalis also uses the inhabitants of the ocean in her images, creating striking shots of models interacting gracefully with the likes of stingrays, turtles and manatees. There is no doubt that Elena Kalis has a very unique way of capturing gorgeous images, and I’m sure we will be seeing a lot more of her in the future.

Stephanie Williamson

Click here to view the rest of her portfolio.