“A great photographer can make any model look amazing. A mediocre photographer needs a great model to make him look amazing.”
About
Stefan Pinto
Photographer and visual artist, Stefan Pinto, approaches his work with a wealth of experience from both sides of the lens. The former Wall Street web developer, graphic designer and fashion model applies his life experiences to his art. In 2008, he went on expedition with National Geographic. It was there, Pinto learned the fundamentals of storytelling using photography. “Light and shadow defines Pinto’s photographic style and makes his images true works of art.” - Angeleno Magazine
Portraits of Pride
Los Angeles Confidential magazine (a division of Modern Luxury Publications) asked Stefan Pinto to photograph celebrities having a direct impact on the social sphere. His portraits of Laverne Cox, Anthony Rapp and Jesse Tyler Ferguson were featured in the June issue of the magazine (print and online).
Pinto’s second photo exhibition featured over 100 images of celebrities, civilians, athletes, models and porn stars as DC Comics characters. The exhibit was featured in a KTLA news segment, Are you a Super Hero or Are you a Super Villain?
Smoke + Mirrors Exhibit
In Smoke and Mirrors, Stefan Pinto’s first solo exhibition (Los Angeles, California) Pinto produces a compelling photographic survey, chronicling a post modern age of multiracial, multicultural and gender-fluid people. His luminous images are filled with tender interactions among those who inhabit his photos. His Tom of Finland portraits intimately connect us with their subjects. Curator’s Statement: “The people who live in Stefan Pinto’s photographs are in deep conversation and they all have something to say. Like Diane Arbus, Pinto evokes the human condition with a deep love and respect for his subjects. Each person in Pinto’s world is making a statement about affection, desire, and vulnerability. Within his photo booth and mini sets, Pinto makes his subjects visually compelling. With strobe lights and mirrored reflections he gives us a double look at his subjects that is highly revelatory; he ferrets out their individuality and directs them to reveal who they truly are. Sometimes he anoints them with smoke, other times you might catch Pinto’s own reflection in their portraits. This is the artist-photographer’s first solo exhibition and it is a thrilling and auspicious debut.”
Before Becoming a Photographer
Stefan Pinto worked as a male model in Miami following his 60-lb weight loss. The New York Times profiled Stefan Pinto after he photographed his abdominals daily -- for three consecutive months -- and posted every, single photo on Facebook (seriously). Maury Povich invited him as a guest to talk about his weight loss in a segment, “Geek to Chic: Amazing Transformations.” Stefan Pinto’s first book was published in 2011 and is called, Fat-to-Fit: 50 Easy Ways to Lose Weight (out of print). Stefan Pinto’s first acting role was on Burn Notice. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA.