Celestia Altalune
When I first started taking pictures, they were mostly black-and-white film photographs, but recently I have ventured into the world of digital photography. My experiences with analog photography have taught me that preservation is important, and I take the same stance digitally.
In my life, collecting has always been necessary——from Pokémon cards, to CDs, to ramune bottles, to figures, to digital collections of important things to me. For example: it’s a sunny day and I’m out with my friends enjoying the playground swings. The shutter clicks, and I capture the moment as a memory made through a digital image. This started my next collection, forever expanding, mixing with the others since I need variety and dislike the monotony of a daily routine.
The subjects of my photographs are people, including friends and family, and environments in New York City. With my portraits of teenagers, I don’t just focus on their faces. The dynamics of the perspective, frame, or vantage point I choose when I take portraits are meant to mirror the diversity of those people. So, the photographs end up as a scene rather than a “portrait.” A lot of my direction for taking portraits comes from the Korean artist Cho Gi-Seok, who makes photographs that sometimes feel alien-like. I think if someone sees my photos and thinks they appear unusual, I’ve done my job telling a different story. Photographer JeongMee Yoon's series “The Pink and Blue Project” on gender utilizes an extreme form of maximalism, which I admire and translate into my photography. Though, I consider my demographics: being a teenager in a big city but a city that doesn’t know much about me. Being a part of many fandoms, communities, and groups, just one photo or description doesn’t do me or my fellow teens justice. To challenge this, my mission in photography is to detail the various intricacies of our lives, including every weakness, strength, and quirk.
Celestia Altalune, b. 2008
Frolick(ing), 2024
Digital inkjet print
16 × 20 inCelestia Altalune, b. 2008
X3, 2024
Digital inkjet print
16 × 20 in.
Celestia Altalune, who goes by Celeste or Luna, is from the Bronx and goes to school at the Urban Academy Laboratory School. At school, she participates in student government and the school paper, Strange Brew. She is passionate about computer science, including 3D modeling and graphic design. On her own, she indulges in Japanese culture and regularly plays various Japanese rhythm games such as Taiko no Tatsujin, Groove Coaster, and Project Sekai. Recently, she’s been interested in music production and using VOCALOID.