Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalee Salcedo.
Kalee, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As a little girl, I was constantly creating something or learning some new kind of skill to create something. Whether I made little YouTube videos in my room at 3am with my siblings or I created a book completely from scratch. I have always wanted to create. I’ve tried painting, drawing, piano, sculpture, embroidery, you name it and more than likely I’ve done it. I love to learn and know new things. Especially anything art related. So when I was 11 years old and gifted my first ever camera, I was in an absolute awe. I love the art world. I love how artistic photography can be when you just create something with how you view the world. I have always loved photography but I didn’t take it seriously until I got into highschool. When we had to decide for the rest of our lives at 18 year olds what we wanted to do, that scared me. I love helping others and so I assumed I would be a doctor but I’m also a creative by nature and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. So I made the hard and very scary decision to study photography at an Art School and that school is Savannah College of Art and Design. Which today is the best decision I could have ever made. I have made so many friends and connections in college and learned so much that I just don’t believe YouTube can teach you. I learned how to see the world as an artist and create the work I do today. I love photography for so many reasons and everyday I just love it more and more. All of it. From casting models to spending 12 hours editing an image (which I have done many times). I am proud to be an artist. This year is my third and final year in SCAD. I graduate this spring in May. I won’t lie. It was very hard to do an art school. It’s not for everyone. And that’s okay. But to me it was worth every second. It’s bittersweet to graduate. I absolutely love it but I’m also so excited to see what the next chapter of my life will look like! So stay tuned!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say the biggest struggles would be how self critical I am. I am constantly trying to one up myself from past projects. I’ve never had a desire to compete with others, only myself. I want the younger me to be proud of my work and even my future kids. It’s hard to not be self critical as an artist. I’m sure many other artists relate to that. We’re our biggest critics. Life in general isn’t a smooth ride. For me as an artist, it’s definitely a different experience. At the end of the day though, I just want to learn and continue to grow as an artist and a photographer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When asked about my work, I describe it as conceptual commercial photography. Through my work, I aim to explore a wide range of conceptual messages using color or a lack of. I enjoy creating surreal scenes that explore complex narratives in a playful and lighthearted manner. Much of my inspiration comes from my personal life or those around me. I try not to become overly attached to any single piece of work.
For me, photography is about capturing my thoughts and ideas, anchoring them somewhere beyond my mind. It’s almost like therapy. I have explored numerous themes—such as childhood, attachment, grief, and other complex narratives. While I often address heavier topics, my style doesn’t immediately communicate that. I manipulate color to narrate my stories.
My work is minimalist, often influenced by aspects of Wes Anderson’s style. I tend to get bored easily, and I love how much I can control and transform each image in photography. In post-processing, I always begin with the color palette. I believe it’s essential to establish the colors of an image before adjusting exposure, contrast, or adding an “S” curve, because color sets the tone and mood first. Every detail in my work is symbolic. I’m meticulous about how I arrange my scenes and subjects. What you leave in an image stays with the viewer, and I want that to convey the most accurate message possible.
Every photo I take and every project I curate teaches me something—more than just technical skills. They teach me about myself, others, art, and the world around me. There’s beauty in exploring these narratives in the way I do. I want to make light from stones. I want to capture not only the world around me but also my own experiences.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As I mentioned before, I was a very artistic kid. I can’t remember any point in my life that I wasn’t trying to create something. I would find any reason to create something. Especially when it came to gifts. I loved making and still do love making hand made gifts for friends and family. There’s something intimate about making something with your own hands and giving it to someone you care about. That’s what is so special about art. It’s my touch on the world. As a kid, I was always trying to laugh or make others laugh. I was very bubbly all throughout my childhood and even now. I’m am a huge talker. Always have been. I just love to talk. I’m not big on listening but only because I have a short attention span. I blame TikTok! But I love love love to talk. About anything. I’m the second oldest of 6 kids so I guess it came with the territory.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://happypillsphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aces.psb?igsh=cmh1NzB6enVuaGw3&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalee-salcedo-063966297?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
