Meet Lenny Catalanotto

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lenny Catalanotto.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My photography journey started with a bare bones Minolta film camera in the late ’80s back when I lived on Long Island, New York. I played around with that for a few years, but lost interest to other hobbies and responsibilities of fatherhood. It wasn’t until my wife and I took a scenic trip to Zion National Park about eight years ago, that I realized I needed to get back into photography and capture the beauty around me. We were starting to travel a lot and I wanted to document our journeys. I quickly upgraded from a basic DSLR to a pro-body Canon 5DM3 with the highest quality Canon “L” lenses. I was suddenly seeing the world around me through different eyes…the beaches, the sunrises, the sunsets, and all of the amazing little spots that I never knew existed. It wasn’t long before I excelled at landscape photography and was receiving public recognition for my work. Along with landscapes, I had learned the art of lighting and flash photography, and used it to start doing portrait, wedding, and event work in my spare time.

When I moved to Mesa, AZ in February, 2017, I retired from my job as a Corrections Officer in New York, and went full-time in Arizona with my business. As the new guy in town, my biggest challenge was finding clients. Through the recognition of my landscape work, and lining myself up with some good people in the Real Estate game, I quickly bumped up my business to the next level doing Real Estate Photography. By the Fall of 2017, I had photo shoots daily and most days I had two a day. In addition, I was taking on family photo shoots, weddings, headshots, and events. I am fortunate to live in a community that really supports me. The support from my wife, Diane, however has been my biggest help. I truly couldn’t have grown this business without her.

Please tell us about your art.
I want my photography to tell a story. My goal is to immerse the audience in the image so that they can see the beauty that I am seeing at that moment. I try to line myself up at the best time of day for optimal color and texture, which separates me from others. I carefully study the sky and clouds, sun angles and trajectories, to determine the optimal location for the photo, as well as my composition. When doing portrait work, I use my knowledge of landscape photography to provide my clients with amazing portraits with incredible backgrounds.

Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Definitely ask for constructive criticism from the people you think are better than you. Also, don’t be thin-skinned. Improving and mastering your craft takes a lot of practice, determination, and the willingness to change things that are wrong.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Website: www.lencatalanottophotography.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LenCatPhotography/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/len_catalanotto_photography/

Contact Info:

• Address: 9764 E Tungsten Drive
  Mesa, AZ 85212
• Website: www.lencatalanottophotography.com
• Phone: 631-219-5905
• Email: lencatphotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/len_catalanotto_photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LenCatPhotography/

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