Oliver Francois Karstel
By Anissa R. Stambouli
Hailing from Pretoria, South Africa, Oliver
Francois Karstel is an artistic entrepreneur
with an eclectic set of skills. Dabbling in
videography, design work and drum and bass
DJing to name a few, it’s Karstel’s undeniable
abilities in portraiture that demand recognition.
Having grown up with a father who played
jazz bass and a mother who painted, it’s no
surprise that Karstel’s “religion and purpose
in life is to make art.” Digital photography
is his healthy addiction. “Like any passion,
you need to let your art possess you; your
obsession will drive you to a new level of
success and possibility.”
In “Off Guard”, a portrait of Karstel’s father
that this year received an honorable mention in
the Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA),
Karstel achieves a unique angle to deliver this
unconventional and intriguing piece.
Shot from above, the subject’s head and
facial features are strangely disproportionate,
an effect made more noticeable by the stark
contrasts of light and dark. With half of his
face concealed by shadow, the subject’s only
visible eye seems to bulge confrontationally
into the lens.
Through digital manipulation, many of
Karstel’s other photographic pieces convert
standard images into geometric fractals,
patterns birthed from commonplace objects.
It is Karstel’s keen eye for extraordinary angles
and perspectives that brings a sense of warped
symmetry to his stunning work.
Shoots with Canon 6d
Lenses used are:
Tamron 15-30mm
Canon 24mm Tilt Shift
Canon 100-400mm
Canon 50mm
Canon 85mm
Canon 17-40mm
Petzval 85mm lomography lens
@oliverkarstel
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