Meet Diego Alcantara

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diego Alcantara.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
The summer before my sophomore year of college was one of the most difficult time periods in my life. While taking some rather difficult summer classes, I was dealing with my parents’ divorce and was told that my father was diagnosed with cancer. In addition to that, I was feeling very alone. I was living with my brother and sister-in-law, but with their schedules, it was difficult to see them. All of my friends from college had gone home for the summer. I was totally alone, with no outlet for my feelings.

A girl I was interested in at the time asked if I had ever considered photography, based on the fact that I owned a GoPro and would edit together little videos every once in a while. A month and a half later, I had bought my first DSLR camera.

Photography became a great creative outlet for me — an escape. Whenever I needed to clear my head, I would grab my camera and drive around the city looking for new places to shoot. When my friends returned that following semester, shooting photography became a fun excuse to get together. We would pick a location, go explore, and see what shots we could pull together. We never had a plan or a particular shot in mind, but that was part of the fun. We were challenged to think creatively on the spot, and those trips resulted in some of my favorite pictures.

Please tell us about your art.
“Perhaps the only difference between me and other people is that I’ve always demanded more from the sunset. More spectacular colors, when the sun hits the horizon.” – Lars Von Trier

There is no singular theme or message to my work. I shoot portraits, landscapes, architecture, candid moments, etc. I don’t feel that I should nail myself down to one style of photography. The common thread amongst my photos is my rich use of color. I capture moments in my world that are interesting or aesthetically pleasing and manipulate them later to draw out more spectacular colors.

One might say this is disingenuous, but I disagree. A camera captures the world as it was, but not as a human sees or feels it. Tied within a moment are emotions and embellishments manifested within the mind. The digital manipulation of my photos allows me to show other people what I saw and experienced when I took that photo.

Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
I can’t say that I have struggled greatly financially while pursuing photography. My family was never rich, but we also don’t struggle to make ends meet. My parents did, however, instill the value of saving in me from a young age. I didn’t fully understand it then, but I see the payoff now.

I pay for part of my college living expenses to aid my aging parents in paying for my education. On top of pursuing my degree, I also have a part-time job. With my course load, it can be difficult to work enough to cover all my expenses, let alone pursue anything outside of it. Having hefty savings has helped immensely in making up what my job doesn’t.

So that would be my advice: save as little or as much as you can, whether that is 10 cents or $100. Not everyone can be in fortunate financial circumstances, but whatever you do save adds up over time. Savings can help with a rainy day or allow you to chase something you’ve never done before. My savings are what paid for my camera and lenses.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I post all of my work on Instagram. People can follow me at the handle @muchocalientesabor. The biggest way individuals can support me is by following and interacting with my posts (i.e., liking, commenting, sharing). I’m currently trying to grow a following on there. In the future, I would like to launch a website and sell prints, but those ideas are still in the works.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/muchocalientesabor

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