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Photo by Gloria Caballero.

Photo by Gloria Caballero.

In your element

Pedro Bonatto de Castro September 8, 2018

After finishing a massive video project this week I have a number of new shoots and personal work for the next couple of months lined up. I put together a fantastic team including hair, make up, light assistant and even a collaboration with a CGI artist. Some shoots will be very simple and others will be quite elaborate, but all are meant to push me to get new skills and shrink the gap between vision and execution.

The other day I got together with my friend and fellow photographer Gloria Caballero and we took some portraits of each other. We were laughing that we are always behind the camera and didn’t have any decent professional portraits.

After we were done with the session, as I was beginning to put things back in order, Gloria said “stop right there”. I stopped. ”I think you will like to have this moment in your life saved for the future”. 

Then she took this photo. Me, at my home that dubs as photo studio and rehearsal space for me and Iana. As I looked at the picture, I thought that no matter where we go, this is my element, the kind of place I most like to be in. My lights, my drums, Iana’s costumes, family and friends art works on the walls, no couch or tv, a place that invites you to stand up and create new things.

And even though this artist life is quite tough and uncertain at this point in my life, I thought Gloria was right. It will be good in the future to look back at these tumultuous times and realize what a gift it is to be able to be at your element, a castle of art you can take anywhere. 

LATEST POSTS
Feb 14, 2019
Working from first principles
Feb 14, 2019
Feb 14, 2019
Turning 40 & 2019 Project Updates
Dec 31, 2018
Turning 40 & 2019 Project Updates
Dec 31, 2018
Dec 31, 2018
New website design
Nov 18, 2018
New website design
Nov 18, 2018
Nov 18, 2018
Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk tale
Nov 6, 2018
Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk tale
Nov 6, 2018
Nov 6, 2018
In your element
Sep 8, 2018
In your element
Sep 8, 2018
Sep 8, 2018
The Tarot Project - First Photo
Aug 15, 2018
The Tarot Project - First Photo
Aug 15, 2018
Aug 15, 2018
Fortress of Time
Apr 16, 2018
Fortress of Time
Apr 16, 2018
Apr 16, 2018
Ballads for a Pale Blue Dot
Mar 27, 2018
Ballads for a Pale Blue Dot
Mar 27, 2018
Mar 27, 2018
New Projects in Photography, Music and Audio
Mar 14, 2018
New Projects in Photography, Music and Audio
Mar 14, 2018
Mar 14, 2018
A detour towards the path
Mar 1, 2017
A detour towards the path
Mar 1, 2017
Mar 1, 2017
Direction of Sight
Jul 22, 2016
Direction of Sight
Jul 22, 2016
Jul 22, 2016
The Letter
Jul 21, 2016
The Letter
Jul 21, 2016
Jul 21, 2016
A celebration
Jul 20, 2016
A celebration
Jul 20, 2016
Jul 20, 2016
Tear down the wall
Jul 20, 2016
Tear down the wall
Jul 20, 2016
Jul 20, 2016
Wanderers still
Mar 13, 2016
Wanderers still
Mar 13, 2016
Mar 13, 2016
Dec 22, 2015
The marathon in the dungeon
Dec 22, 2015
Dec 22, 2015
Someday is a disease: some thoughts from the road
Nov 9, 2015
Someday is a disease: some thoughts from the road
Nov 9, 2015
Nov 9, 2015
Sep 23, 2015
The Orientalist goes to Europe
Sep 23, 2015
Sep 23, 2015
Location, location, location
Sep 12, 2015
Location, location, location
Sep 12, 2015
Sep 12, 2015
A storm of ideas, old and new
Aug 30, 2015
A storm of ideas, old and new
Aug 30, 2015
Aug 30, 2015
A journey begins
Aug 26, 2015
A journey begins
Aug 26, 2015
Aug 26, 2015

BACK TO THE BLOG

FROM MY INSTAGRAM

Here is a shot at my home studio in Toronto, taken the day before coming to Ukraine. It features my wife, @iana_dance , with hair and make up by @toronto_makeupartist , wearing leggings and sports bra that we designed together for our new store, @myinnerdancer , which has a bunch of products we created with dancers in mind. It’s been a couple of months since we launched the store and we are learning a lot from our clients and how to run an online business. 
One of the things I’ve been trying to do when I feel overwhelmed with projects, worries, deadlines, general “stuckness”, is to try to think in first principles: What is the vision? Is what we are doing right now moving us towards that vision?

I really liked this photo when I took it, but I didn’t know exactly why, so I decided to come back to it today. I realized it embodied many of the elements I’m working on as an artist today: dance, music, photography, design, a partnership with my wife, paintings from family on the background, a home that is an art studio. 
First principles. On the right path, even if tricky.
Gearing up for some shoots in Kiev over the next couple of weeks.
Here is a shot from my recent collab with Toronto model @reneegiroux and mua @angelinambeauty
Off to Ukraine today for a month of shoots, music, workshops and podcast recordings in Kiev. 
Here is a photo from my shoot with @leighelizabeth at one of my favourite locations in Toronto, @berbersocial combining fashion with Oriental style decor.
For the last couple of months Iana and I have been working on a new side project we're very excited about, which has been launched today! We created an online store, a fashion and lifestyle brand inspired by belly dance. It's called My Inner Dancer, and it features designs we created ourselves as well as curated products including jewelry, apparel and accessories. 
It's been a lot of work, including learning new skills and expressing creativity in new ways, but I'm really happy with the results and I invite you to come check it out. 
The website is www.myinnerdancer.com :) and instagram @myinnerdancer
Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk tale

This photo I was inspired by the stories of rusalka, something like a mermaid or water spirit, present in the folklore of Ukraine, Russia, and other Slavic countries. 
Unlike Celtic mermaids or Greek sirens, Rusalka stories have roots in pagan Slavic traditions and were linked to fertility, where they would come out of the water in the spring to transfer life-giving moisture to the fields and thus helped nurture the crops.

Check my blog post where I wrote about the concept and the process of creating the image through the lens of fashion and beauty photography.

Photographer: @pedrobonatto
Model: @alona.lytt
Make up: @toronto_makeupartist
Assistant: @gloriacaballero.photo
Head band: @misssaheadbands @lacemask
Lashes: @khanlaricosmetics
Lingerie: @lasenza
In Creativity Tags behind the scenes
← Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk taleThe Tarot Project - First Photo →

ON MY MIND

“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.”
— Louis L’Amour

FEATURED BLOG POST

Featured
Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk tale
Nov 6, 2018
New Photo
Rusalka: reimagining a Slavic folk tale
Nov 6, 2018
New Photo
Nov 6, 2018
New Photo

LATEST ON INSTAGRAM

Here is a shot at my home studio in Toronto, taken the day before coming to Ukraine. It features my wife, @iana_dance , with hair and make up by @toronto_makeupartist , wearing leggings and sports bra that we designed together for our new store, @myinnerdancer , which has a bunch of products we created with dancers in mind. It’s been a couple of months since we launched the store and we are learning a lot from our clients and how to run an online business. 
One of the things I’ve been trying to do when I feel overwhelmed with projects, worries, deadlines, general “stuckness”, is to try to think in first principles: What is the vision? Is what we are doing right now moving us towards that vision?

I really liked this photo when I took it, but I didn’t know exactly why, so I decided to come back to it today. I realized it embodied many of the elements I’m working on as an artist today: dance, music, photography, design, a partnership with my wife, paintings from family on the background, a home that is an art studio. 
First principles. On the right path, even if tricky.

LATEST PODCAST EPISODE

Featured
Wanderings Podcast - Episode 07: Floatation Therapy with Jesse Ratner-Decle and Anand Ondhia
Nov 11, 2018
Wanderings Podcast - Episode 07: Floatation Therapy with Jesse Ratner-Decle and Anand Ondhia
Nov 11, 2018

In this episode of The Wanderings Podcast, Pedro Bonatto talks to Jesse Ratner-Decle and Anand Ondhia about floatation therapy and the benefits of sensory deprivation tanks.

Click here to listen to this episode on iTunes.

Nov 11, 2018

© 2019. Pedro Bonatto Photography.  pedro@pedrobonatto.com  +1 (416) 400-7602 Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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