Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Castillo
Hi Christopher, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Ever since I was a child, I was always amazed by the beauty in visual storytelling. A hobbyist for the art of cinema, I enjoy any moment I can spend by myself watching an entire film for mainly the beauty of the cinematography and its synchronicity to the actual story, lighting, and score. From the works of directors such as Gaspar Noe, Wong Kar Wai, Wim Wenders, Michael Mann, and Nicolas Winding Refn, most films were essentially making me into the visual storyteller I am today. For as long as I can remember, I’ve captured vivid visual moments since my youth. From borrowing my mother’s nokia flip phone, to my first iPhone, and then to eventually my first DSLR camera, my skill set in tech and creativity just keeps expanding.
I recognized my passion and talent for photography through my art teacher in high school. She recommended I give photography a shot. During this time, me and my friends would trespass abandoned warehouses/buildings, giving me the perfect opportunity to take flash photographs using my friend’s camera for my portfolio. Little did I know, this would be taking me down a rabbit hole. Eventually, a competition for an art museum submission came around the corner and one of my pieces was selected to be added to the gallery.
The moment I finally decided to take matters on my own hands creatively came during the quarantine pandemic of 2020. This moment of isolation allowed me to explore the desolate city of Miami at night, providing me with beautiful cinematic landscape shots of the areas. From adding small subtitles in post to provide a more intentional feeling to eventually bringing models as subjects to the frame, I was now creating my world of photography. By late 2021, I was able to now work with a Sony mirrorless camera. Fast forward 3 years later and this is now my portrait photography business. I never settle for less and definitely try not to repeat the same ideas twice. I’m always trying to find better more unique ways to take a photograph and am slowly but surely expanding into the world of short films.
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?
There is always constant trial and error. When starting out, I tested the waters by doing all types of photography until I was finally able to find my style as a creative. I wouldn’t say it ‘s been a smooth road nor do I believe any creative field is a smooth road. But at the end of the day, I’m doing what I love and I found my calling in photography. I’d say one of my biggest struggles starting out has been having to get out of my introverted shell to socialize and network. Took lots of opportunities to eventually make me the social butterfly I am today. Another huge struggle for me when starting out was having to spend lots of money in order to bring many of my own visions to life. It wasn’t until I realized that in the world of photography there will always be expenses, that I learned to accept that and value my sacrifices. Lastly, seeking the approval from my family was a major struggle. They weren’t too fond of this approach I decided to take initially. Now they’re all very supportive of my art and provide me constant feedback and clients to grow my business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a professional photographer that specializes in cinematic portraiture. I keep specific styling, locations, and lighting in mind combined with the efforts of my models in certain action poses. When you enter my world of photography, you are seeing a movie. When you are a model in one of my photoshoots, you are a character in my eyes, not a model. A character with a story and an emotion. Their interaction with the setting of choice creates the visual story I’m trying to make people feel.
Most people see that the majority of my work is in neon. This is definitely a main style but not the entirety of my craft. I will say, however, that the neon moody style has definitely been a favorite and is highly inspired by some of my favorite films such as Enter the Void, Fallen Angels, Taxi Driver, and Blade Runner. Overall, I wold say that I am most proud of staying true to my artistry and not adapting into the notion of trends. I would always consider myself a unique artist before a photographer. All my work is carefully planned out and many of the times comes from an idea that stemmed from a vision, dream, or song. What sets me apart from other photographers is my dramatic style. This dramatic look is prominent in my photos.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk taking to me in my line of work is considering different alternatives to getting the right shot as well as trying out something completely new to my eyes. I think the biggest factor of risk taking when it comes to bringing my photoshoots to life is using a particular location. I’ve never been too fond of using a studio backdrop and a built prop setup. Instead I love using actual locations as the foundation for my concepts. I’ve risked my life many times in the process of doing so:
At the end of the day, you don’t know unless you try it out so why not? For someone seeing my photos for the first time, they may just been seen as pretty photos. But there’s an entire process behind-the-scenes, some more difficult than others. And the final photo results for all those hardships is the big reward.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christography____/
Image Credits
Jose Carmona
Diana Zagorulko
Diana Rojas
Dantae Beauchamp
Jose Joaquin
Aaron Campbell
Lili Mehilove
Molly Stephan
Renaud Noel
Marku Leone
Cassidy Brown
