Steven Castro is a photographer based in California whose images have been recognized with numerous international awards and honors. Most recently, in 2020, his images from a series of fishing huts on shores of Brittany and along the streams of the Connemara region of Ireland, won several awards including, first place at the International Fine Art Photography Awards, as well as a Silver at the Prix de la Photographie, Paris (Px3) juried competition. Other awards and nominations include the prestigious International Photography Awards, Moscow International Foto Awards, and Black & White Spider Awards. Steven has participated in exhibits at the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel, California, the Michael H. Kellicutt International Photography Show, PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont, and the Carmel Art Institute in Carmel, California. Artist StatementIt has always been my desire to show the calming qualities of the subjects I photograph. Whether it’s a crowded Venetian canal or the waves pounding the cliffs of Point Lobos, my artistic pursuit is to provide an escape; I strive to foster a strong sense of solace through my work. I find myself returning to locations I have photographed a multitude of times and, in most cases, doing so reveals a new, intimate detail. This sensation often feels like the inherent, often enigmatic, quality of our world disclosing itself before me. As such, I develop a deeply personal connection, and a powerful respect for, the places I capture. I strive for my images to express a bemused sense of awe as I follow a creative process in which I work with ephemeral elements. I feel empowered by this potential of my images to shift the attention of any given subject to reveal new aspects within the scene. This feeling is what drives my artistic ambition to continue capturing our world.