Today we’d like to introduce you to Saul Flores.
Hi Saul, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
To start off, growing up, I always had an interest in architecture. I love the idea of walking into a brand new space and observing all the little details that went into creating the final product. From a young age, I dabbled in other career choices like mobile design and coding but quickly discovered that the drive wasn’t there for me. At the same time, there were no other individuals I could look to for inspiration. As I neared the end of my senior year of high school, I knew that something was developing within me, and it was this entire side of photography. The issue is, I never considered it as a professional possibility at the time.
This interest matched wonderfully with my ambition to photograph interior/exterior spaces. After graduating from high school, I saved up enough money to purchase my first camera, a Sony A5100. I started documenting and sharing my life with the rest of the world. I didn’t know this was going anywhere at first; I was just sharing my thoughts. As it turned out, many individuals were interested in my journey and supported me. After 5 years, I was able to refine my photography abilities and work with companies such as Hotel Monaco, Mission Belt, and INFUZE.
These experiences have altered me in ways I can’t articulate and allowed me to connect with so many great individuals both locally and beyond. As a Creative Director and Social Influencer, I currently continue to work with a variety of brands.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I certainly encountered a number of roadblocks along the way. For example, when I first started this hobby, many of my friends and family members asked for free sessions. Since the space was so new to me, it was nice to have those opportunities and grow my talents, but many times individuals that seek out don’t appreciate what you have to offer. As I gradually expanded my portfolio, I received a lot of criticism about how my color grading wasn’t up to standard. However, like with other things, practice will ultimately make perfect.
Since I didn’t have any connections to local photographers, I would go on YouTube and learn the science of color grading and what makes photographs appear the way they do. During my research, I discovered that dark imagery is something that many photographers avoid. Photographers I’ve observed editing their images would catch the moment with little or no color adjustments. Don’t get me wrong, the photographs are fantastic, but I wanted something that would take something so mundane and turn it into something remarkable. This process is not as simple as slapping on a preset and calling it a day to achieve that dark and moody aesthetic. This was a huge struggle for me since I didn’t know how one color would impact the other, but after five years of learning, I finally got a style that not only I was satisfied with, but many of my peers were as well.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in street photography and anything involving architecture. When I’m out in the city it’s more than just going out and photographing everything. Just because I walk the same path in the city, doesn’t mean that anything new can happen. This motivates me to remain alert and focused at all times.
My editing is what I’m known for. Since the beginning, I’ve aimed to have a distinct editing style that sets myself apart from the rest. I focus on the compositions such as light, colors, as well as moments. Trying to maintain balance within the image. The way I color my images is what I’m proud of. Since I know that my images look similar when compared to one another, each has a different story behind it. That’s why I got into this creative space, to tell a story. To me, there’s more to photography than capturing that “hero shot”.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
What I really like about the creative space is the sense of community. That means meeting like-minded people is right around the corner. People can find me on social media, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Individuals can support me by following my journey on these social media platforms or by purchasing something from my online store. I sell prints and presets. Other than that, I welcome anyone that would like to collaborate!
Contact Info:
- Email: fflorestudiodesign@gmail.com
- Website: https://fflorestudio.mypixieset.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmesaul/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fflorestudio/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmesaul
Image Credits
Saul Flores (@itsmesaul)
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City (@monacoslc)
@fflorestudio
