Wedding sequences

Magic moments are often successive moments. Wedding sequences provide a several picture layout capturing images one after the other of an emotional moment. Here the groom and ring-bearer share a happy time on the dance floor. By following the action with the camera all of the key turns are caught for the future.

decisive moment

Capturing the candid moment at the decisive moment is key during a wedding or event. I am also anticipating those moments of happiness during interaction with friends and family that provide candid pictures full of emotion.

Bar Mitzvahs

I love to photograph Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs! To see if your Mitzvah date is available contact Robert Castagna at 617 833 9271 or info@robertcastagna.com.

wedding reviews

It's great to get feedback from your work which is one of the many reasons I so enjoy photographing wedding days:

"Hi Robert,Thank you SO much!! The pictures are beautiful! I am amazed at how quickly you were able to get them online! Chris and I are so grateful for your services at our wedding. We both were saying how we didn't even know you were around for most of the night, but you certainly captured it all. We can't thank you enough!" Jen

"You are amazing!! I can't believe how many candid shots you were able to get and still keep Jen and Chris as the focus!!" Patti

Each and every wedding photograph is now posted online for friends and family to relive the day as a standard package feature. Find out if your date is available by contacting Robert Castagna at 617 833 9271 or info@robertcastagna.com.

New wedding feature

All of Robert's wedding and event packages now include all images uploaded to the internet with a password to share with your friends and family. Your relatives and friends may select images for purchase if they wish or simply enjoy reliving the day as they see hundreds of pictures showing the flow and story of the day and the fun and action of the party. To view a full description of event packages go to Wedding and Event packages by Robert Castagna.

wedding dances

Wedding dances are emotional moments. Here I've included some photographs from a recent wedding which include the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance. One can see the spontaneous emotions and candid interactions from this once in a lifetime occasion.

photography and poetry

@ Brookline Arts Center:

Photography and poetry are combined together in a unique spring exhibition, Kyoto in its Season at the Brookline Arts Center from April 4 – May 15, 2008. Robert Castagna, an award winning photographer from West Medford, will be showing lovely color photographs taken in the spring and fall of 2006 in Kyoto, Japan. Next to each photograph will be a haiku poem written especially for that photo by Raffael deGruttola, Past President of the Haiku Society of America.

“We are so pleased to present this exhibition of lovely photography matched with haiku poetry,” said Susan Navarre, Executive Director of the Brookline Arts Center. “It’s unlike anything we’ve done before, and people eager for spring to begin will love these delicate images of flowers, buds and trees taken in parks in Kyoto.”

Two years ago, Mr. Castagna, a successful wedding and event photographer, wanted to push his art to the next level of creativity. He decided to travel in order to focus completely on his photography and to experiment with a new aesthetic. The project in Kyoto became totally consuming and Mr. Castagna ended up visiting Japan to immerse himself in the history, literature and culture of Japan, including extensive reading of haiku poetry.

“I realized how much my approach to photography is like a poet’s approach to haiku,” he said. “Photography requires a keen sense of awareness of one’s environment,” he continued. “The challenge for me with this series has been to say enough and not too much, which is similar to the challenge haiku poets have.”

Returning to Boston, Mr. Castagna began attending events at the Boston Haiku Society. There he met Raffael deGruttola, whose haiku work is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, and the two decided to begin collaborating. At a recent exhibit of Mr. Castagna’s Kyoto photos at the Rolly-Michaux Galleries in Boston, Mr. deGruttola read haiku poetry which reflected the images and the concepts of the photos.

For the Brookline Arts Center show, Mr. deGruttola, a resident of Natick, has written new haiku poetry specifically for each photograph. “It has been a great experience to collaborate with an artist such as Robert Castagna who understands Japan and interprets it beautifully, ” said Mr. deGruttola. “I am thrilled by the haiku poetry Raffael has composed for my photographs,” said Mr. Castagna. “It complements the images and adds yet another layer of meaning causing you to look deeper..”

A free photo salon, with both Mr. Castagna and Mr. deGruttola will be held on Friday, May 9th from 6:30 – 8:30pm. Photographers are invited to bring their photographs and discuss composition and techniques with both artists.

The exhibit will open at the Brookline Arts Center, 86 Monmouth St., Brookline on Friday, April 4th and run through Thursday, May 15th. The exhibit hours are from 9:00 – 4:30 Monday through Friday. Mr. Castagna appears courtesy of Rolly-Michaux Galleries.

an Italian voyage

When traveling in Italy one takes walks through vineyards and explores old castles; and both make for excellent picture opportunities.

The image on the left was taken in Cortona, the Etruscan hill town of Tuscany well known from the book and movie, Under the Tuscan Sun. The fortress is at the very top of the walled city, the last citadel of the town against intruders. The image to the right is entitled , dandelion field and was taken in the wine country of Barbarano.

Artists Salon

monk stones
a mason
leaves his tools

Brookline Arts Center
Kyoto in Its Season: Select Images with Haiku

Salon on Friday, May 9th 6:30-8:30 PM
86 Monmouth Street, Brookline MA


Photographer Robert Castagna and poet Raffael de Gruttola will speak


Artists are encouraged to come and share their work.


See for the first time proofs of work featuring calligraphy by Tadashi Kondo.

Robert Castagna's participation courtesy of:
ROLLY-MICHAUX GALLERIES

Exhibition in Italy

quick to succumb
after rain
petals drop
one by
one

Photographs by Robert Castagna, haiku by Raffael de Gruttola and calligraphy by Tadashi Kondo will be on view in Casenatico, Italy for an exhibition on June 13, 14 and 15. The work is a collaboration of the three artists revealing a new approach to the ancient art of haiga (an artform that combines haiku, calligraphy and imagery).

The exhibition will be held at Casa Moretti, the home and museum of poet Marino Moretti.

Program of exhibition in Italian:

venerdì 13 giugno 2008

sabato 14 giugno 2008

domenica 15 giugno 2008
apertura ore 15 – 21

Mostra di fotografia, scrittura e pittura Haiku
Kyoto nelle sue stagioni: immagini con Haiku

foto di Robert Castagna
Haiku di Raffael de Gruttola
calligrafie di Tadashi Kondo
Casa Moretti
via Marino Moretti, 1 - Cesenatico

Boston Weddings II

There are many wedding packages out there, just as there are many wedding photographers. I too have specific packages for weddings and events called the Signature Class. However I will also tailor my packages to the needs and wants of the client. For example, on occasion a client will be working within a budget and request a CD only package where the day is covered and photographed as usual, however all that is received by the client is the edited CD of high resolution images. Whatever the needs I can modify my packages to fit.

Boston Weddings

The black and white photograph never goes out of style. There is a level of class and nostalgia that connects one with a black and white picture. This timeless quality puts emphasis on the form and its light and shadow, taking out the distracting color to lay bare the essence of the subject. For this reason I always create black and white images for my custom album designs.

Brookline Open Studios

Blossoms on Blinds by Robert Castagna

on her little finger

the husk

of a lady bug

haiku by Raffael de Gruttola

The Brookline Artists' Open Studios will hold its annual exhibition event Saturday and Sunday April 12th and 13th from 11AM to 6PM. One of the key destination stops is the Brookline Arts Center where there will be a group exhibition of artists and faculty.

In addition the Brookline Arts Center will be hosting Kyoto in its Season: Select Images with Haiku, photographs by Robert Castagna and poetry by Raffael de Gruttola.