Randomly Organized
Born and raised in Chicago, ALBERTO SANTIAGO is a photographer and musician. His rule for life is that there is always time and space to learn from others.
Alberto Santiago
Born and raised in Chicago, Alberto Santiago is a photographer and musician studying at the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago. Like other artists before him, he admits that his photography journey started as a way to impress a girl. The romance didn’t last, but his interest in photography developed into a true passion. Today he takes photos for himself, fueled by a desire to capture moments that tell a story. He draws upon the basic principles and discipline he learned as a musician and applies them to his photography, striving to learn something new each day.
Alberto describes his style as “randomly organized,” incorporating muted and low-saturation colors and alternating between harsh light and dark shadows. As his skills grew, he upgraded his camera from a crop-sensor to a full-frame lens that literally allowed him to see things differently. Similarly, he moved from basic editing apps to Lightroom and found it to be a game-changer, allowing him to experiment with his photos in new ways. He continues to seek new perspectives, believing that the more you put in front of you, the more you end up seeing.
Instagram: @solaphotos
Alberto’s Prints
“There is so much talent around the world. My philosophy is to learn from everyone. I stay inspired by trying to exercise my eye to see things differently. I truly believe you can find beauty in almost any photo. Doing so motivates me to stay out of the box.”
Alberto’s Books
Alberto’s work is published in Trope Chicago, the first in the Trope City Editions series, a collection of urban and architectural photography books of cities around the world by today’s emerging photographers. Alberto is also featured in Above and Across Chicago, a collection of Chicago seen from the sky.
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