Eliška Sky

Visual artist Eliška Sky's work, as both a photographer and art director, is colourful, playful and visually arresting. Bold and often surreal, the Canon Ambassador's images and videos show her models in outlandish designs and dramatic poses.

In the world she creates, it's not unusual to see a man in a sharp suit with a handbag over his head, or a naked woman covered in multi-coloured body paint. But behind her playfulness, there is an ambitious and technically accomplished artist who often uses her work to make a point about issues such as diversity and climate change.

While still studying, Eliška steadily built up a range of regular editorial and commercial clients. To date, her work has been featured in publications such as Vogue Italia, Vogue Czechoslovakia and 1883 Magazine, and in advertisements for brands such as Puma, Zalando and Preciosa Crystals.

Her style is consistent across her work because she is usually given free rein to interpret the client's brief as she chooses. "Most of the time, the clients that come to me are ones that like my work, so they trust me, they give me more freedom," she says. "A lot of the time, the clients say, we love what you do, so we want you to come up with your idea, your concept. That's the best kind of work you can get."

When asked where her distinctive approach comes from, she says, "I honestly don't know, because I just do what I enjoy. Maybe it's my weird mind! I wasn't taking these images at first, I was just doing whatever I pleased, but after a couple of years I developed my own style."

However, her work isn't about style over substance; for Eliška, what she is saying is as important as the way she is saying it. "I think one of my personal messages is to give people joy, give them confidence," she continues. "I didn't lack joy when I was growing up, but I definitely had struggles with my self-image, and a lot of that is to do with the kind of images we see in advertising.

"For me, fashion is about experimenting and not being afraid of who you are, and I think that's what I want to tell people. You don't need to look like somebody else, you can be you and it can be great, it can be fun. There's a lot of positivity I want to spread."

How much do you previsualise your images before a shoot?
"I do a lot of preparation and most of my images are previsualised; I'd say maybe 80% are prepared. I do sketches and mood boards for whole shoots and sometimes even for just one image. At the same time, I go for improvisation as well. For example, if there is a crazy wind on an outdoor shoot, or maybe the model does an amazing pose, I use that, but usually it comes out of the prepared idea."

How much do you work on your images in post-production?
"Most of my images are created in-camera. I do the minimum amount of post-production. I enhance colours and saturation and things like that, but I really like to have everything in front of the camera. I have the designers build elements such as props and backdrops. To me, photography is a lot about capturing that moment when the light is perfect. You have a great expression, and all the elements work together. It's a great feeling when you get that shot and think, wow, I have it."

Is there one body of work you're particularly proud of doing?
"I photographed body-painted women for my series Womaneroes. It shows them with their different shapes and forms, and challenges this view that women have to fit a particular image. For me, that project is quite personal and quite powerful."

Do you have any specific aims you'd like to achieve?
"Yes. One is to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The second is to have a full cover story in Vogue Italia."

"Lots of visual artists give up when they don't get the results they want, but I think being successful is a lot about endurance and pushing through. As a freelance photographer, there are days when you are getting great clients and there's a lot of things happening around you. Then there are times when there's nothing happening and you're in front of your computer editing, or sorting out your admin, and you can feel a bit down. You have to keep going to get where you want to be. Don't let the low times put you off."

Website: www.eliskasky.com