There are a lot of filters, fakery and fun-filled images onInstagram. It’s often hard to tell what’s real and what’s not, but one artist is showing us how the best images are made.
Calob Castellon is an incredible photographer with a flair for creating seemingly perfect photos with the use of simple everyday locations, props and lighting equipment.
He often includes the behind-the-scenes snaps to show the effort that goes into his photos, so it’s well worth checking outhis Instagram feed.
We’ve rounded up our favourites for you to enjoy.
Colourful backdrops
Lighting is often a photographer’s biggest challenge - getting the right amount of light for the perfect photo can be tricky.
But what if you’re able to find a shoot location that already has all the lighting you could possibly need and some pretty nifty colourful backdrops too? A trip to the shops might be the answer to your quest for masses of likes on Instagram.
Screen glow
Another of Calob Castellon’s favourite techniques appears to be using TV screens and monitors to make up glowing backgrounds that can add a colourful glow to his photos. This is one such example, where the words glow as much as the photos.
Colourful rain
Another simply brilliant shot taken with a colourful backdrop blended nicely into the foreground that appears to show digital rain falling all around.
Windows with no view
Why spend money on expensive photo studios or luxurious locations when you can get amazing shots like this by simply visiting your local hardware store?
Some eye protection required
With this image, Calob Castellon talked a bit about what goes into creating this sort of image:
“A tripod, blacklight, neon paint, and z pair of sunglasses (for UV protection) is all you need for DIY glow shoot.”
These are our favourites, are you feeling inspired to go out and create your own images now?
Another type of lighting
If you haven’t gathered by now, Calob Castellon’s photos rely heavily on various different light sources to create magical results.
As well as using smartphones and screens to create glows and real-world objects for bright backgrounds, he also likes to use special sprays and UV lights to create wonderful shots.
A close-up view of the world
This image is a perfect example of Calob Castellon’s work. A hand-held light source, some heavy editing and a brilliantly creative idea results in a magnificent photo.
A woman reaches out to touch a tiny glowing vision of the world that would make flat-earthers angry.
Lighting her way
How many Instagram images show people in brilliantly beautiful spots showing off their amazing lives? How many of these images have been touched up? Probably a lot more than you realise. Some of them more than others.
This before and after shot certainly shows the model in a new light. There wasn’t even a lighthouse in the original photograph.
It’s all a matter of perspective
Some of Calob Castellon’s shots show how the perfect image is often just a matter of perspective.
Some editing, filters and more can turn a nice photo into an incredible one. Who’d have thought this image on the left was simply taken at the side of the street?
A smartphone glow
We love this behind-the-scenes shot as it demonstrates how Calob Castellon regularly uses everyday objects to enhance his images. A participant uses a smartphone to produce a glow on the model’s face that is then carried through into the edited images.
The final shot appears to show beautiful glowing butterflies lighting up her face, instead of a phone screen.
