We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carli Castro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Carli with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic I owe all to my incredible father. My dad has owned his small business in contracting for many years and I’ve always found him to be the most hard working person I know. Every little girl looks at their dad and says that but I know in my heart where his heart lays for our family. His small entrepreneurship through the years carried me at age 12 when I was obsessed with making slime and selling it or age 6 selling painted rocks to my neighbors. Where I am with my small business in photography today is because of the influence of my Dad’s work ethic has had on me all these years. He’s talented, hard working, motivated, never cuts corners and is loyal to his customers. I strive to be just like him in my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My artistic career has carried me a long way!! So here’s a little bit about Carli Castro Photography and where I am at today. Photography is defined as the ‘art or practice of taking and processing photographs. Admiring this art since I was young, I taught myself the ethics and beauty of photography. Now older, with over 5 years of experience, I’ve seen the world through a lens of possibility. Being able to use this artistry as a lifestyle is beyond a dream! Photography and videography allow me to consider and portray how to best capture the candid image. Utilizing unique editing skills enables each camera shot to have endless effects. My absolute favorite style of photography is film. Even when I shoot in digital, my instinct is to edit through the lens of the often-neglected style of film. Until photography came into the picture, I found joy in many creative spaces, but none held my interest for very long. Photography is truly an outlet for me to express and explore every way of life. Poetry, art, and music are a staple companion to my photography style. Bringing photos to life allows me to be myself while displaying my work ethic. Through the years, I found myself searching for an abstract feeling in my work to really tell a story, paint the picture & grab hold of the moment. Each and every day, I ask God to inspire me through my lens to recreate His image more than my own. I’d like to call myself more than a photographer…rather, a photographic storyteller.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
It’s truly all about having faith, confidence and trust in your abilities. I’ve found that to be the most rewarding tactic especially on social media! Being true to my art keeps me out of the ‘comparison game’. I love seeing how others use their talent and it gives me space to live out mine. I always say “art is art” and you can’t create ugly art.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I’d say my biggest area of growth in photography has been the skill of becoming familiar with my camera and its abilities. I’ve found light in my photos just with the way I crop the image, edit the image or showcase the image. I’ve seen growth not only in my images but in my confidence. Art always mean something so even if it’s not my most amazing portrait I can trust that someone else admires it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carlicastrophotography.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: @carlicastrophotography
- Facebook: @carlicastrophotography
Image Credits
Headshot of myself: Studio 94 Photography / website: https://www.studio-94-photography.com/ Additional images: Carli Castro Photography
