What country are you from and where do you live?

I live in Toronto, Canada and was born here but my mother is Jamaican and my father was German so my Canadian experience is from the perspective of a second generation citizen. 

Education background (photography, art school, no school)?

I began as self taught and when I thought I really had potential to make this a career I went to school for photojournalism. 

Do you have a signature style/artistic expression? 

My style is still evolving, when I have the freedom though I will definitely lean towards creating moody images often heavy on the shadows. Otherwise, I’ve been playing a lot with colour lately using gels and such.

How would you describe your work? What type of images or people do you like to shoot?

Clean, bold and direct. I love shooting all types of people, everyone has a story and the more they wear that story on their face, the more I want to photograph them. I like creating images that make people feel empowered. We’re bombarded everyday with images meant to make us feel insecure I feel I can provide some value by helping people see beyond those limiting perceptions. 

Do you have a career turning point or big break?

Landing a staff job at a notable magazine in my local market was pivotal for my career in terms of opportunities to photograph notable people, getting published weekly, increasing my visibility and rapidly improving due to the volume at which I was shooting. 

What is next for your career goals?

I’m really passionate about growth and expanding my editorial and commercial client list. Shooting more campaigns and continuing to raise the bar for myself is high on my list of goals.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in your business?

I think shooting as much as you can, you can only get better by doing. Assisting is a great way to learn as well so I always recommend that. Figure out what it is you want to shoot and go hard with it. 

Instagram:  @samuelengelking

Website:  www.samuelengelking.com