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Master Photographers Tell You How

Robert Castellino Nature Photographer Capturing the Beauty of the Outdoors by Lynne Eodice Article rating: 8.02

Robert Castellino's passion for Colorado is apparent in his calendars, photo books, art prints and stock images-he's documented this state beautifully from the Rockies to its major cities. He also travels around the country to photograph various locales for his clients. But in addition to being an accomplished photographer, this entrepreneur wears many hats: writer, storyteller, lecturer, and founder of Whispering River, the publishing company through which he markets his work. 

As a telecom sales representative during the '80s,Castellino became very disgruntled. “I couldn't stand the corporate world,” he recalls. It was when he held the position of Vice President of Marketing for the Willamette Pass Ski Area in 1985 that he finally found his calling. One day, he briefed a photographer who was going to shoot pictures for an upcoming multimedia slide presentation. He was so detailed about what he wanted that she finally asked him, “Why don't you pick up a camera and take the photos yourself?”

He argued that he didn't know anything about photography, but she talked him into accompanying her on a MacKenzie River photo excursion, where he discovered that he loved taking pictures. “It was like someone opened the floodgates to another world,” he says. Castellino not only fell in love with photography, he also wound up buying the photographer's 35mm SLR.

Castellino became a professional photographer in 1988. “I took my corporate experience from the ski industry and telecommunications sales to the publishing industry,” he states, as he marketed his nature images on greeting cards, calendars, posters and prints to the commercial marketplace. “The natural world was my focus,” he says in retrospect. “I concentrated on local landscapes, flora and fauna-my breadth of knowledge was fairly narrow.” In 1991, he attended a Santa Fe workshop led by National Geographic photographer Sam Abell, who Castellino regards as an important influence. Abell took the class from macro and landscape work “to a much broader scope in making extraordinary images of Santa Fe, the world and life itself,” he notes.

His original publishing company went bankrupt, but Castellino planned to get back on his feet as soon as possible. While on a white-water rafting trip in Dinosaur National Monument in northwestern Colorado, he heard the rushing of the Green River in the distance and thought, “Whispering River.” Hence, the name of Castellino's new publishing company, featuring his photography. His first book, "Boulder: Heart and Soul-People and Place," was the company's first success. “It made enough money to fund additional projects.” This book was soon followed by "Colorado: Heart and Soul." Then a buyer for regional guides and photo books at Tattered Cover, a major bookstore, suggested that he do a photo book on Denver.

Castellino's "Denver: Gateway to the Rockies" “changed my perspective on photography to include sports, street scenes, children, and everything that depicts a city,” he explains. He began interviewing people who were interesting and diverse, including artists, dancers, composers, city park employees, corporate dignitaries, and street people. “I wanted readers to know who made up the core of the city,” he says. Since 1995, Whispering River has produced photo books, calendars, and fine-art prints. The company's motto is “Connecting people with nature through art.” Whispering River is a member of 1% for the Planet, a non-profit organization through which they contribute 1% of its annual sales to various environmental organizations.

>>Click here to read our interview with Robert Castellino...

>>Click here to read Robert Castellino's Tips & Techniques for Capturing the Beauty of the Outdoors...

>>Click here to visit Robert Castellino's website...

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Hi Take Great Pictures: What happened to the remaining pages of the article for Robert Castellino? When I click on the link there is nothing there. Bob Posted by: rlcastellino@gmail.com Jul 9, 2008 @ 2:18 PM EST

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