Traveling Photographer Captures the Quiet Beauty of Young Monks Reading

Young Monk Portrait Photography by Marcelo Castro

Engineer and photographer Marcelo Castro has a passion for travel that he expresses through stunning images. Working full time as a electrical engineer, his technical profession has taken him around the world, and it jump-started his enduring relationship with photography.

The creative endeavor, through started because of travel, has affected the way Castro approaches new places. “I have found that photography often provides the motivation to explore places I normally wouldn’t go in weather I might not usually prefer, at times of day that I might usually rather be sleeping,” he writes. “The result is that my photography takes me to spectacular scenes I might not witness otherwise.”

This attitude is illustrated in several images depicting Old Bagan, Myanmar. Several years ago, Castro ventured to the ancient city where he encountered a group of young monks. There, he captured gorgeous portrait photography showcasing the boys reading in a pagoda. Among the dirt floor and weathered brick walls, they rely on sunlight as it streams through the structure. The result casts a soft glow onto the compositions and complements the quiet, contemplative monks.

The people Castro encountered in Old Bagan left a lasting impression on him. “I experienced a very unfamiliar feeling, something I’ve never felt anywhere but at home,” he recalls.“I did not want to leave. For [a] while I tried to figure it out why.” He came to the conclusion that the Burmese were the reason. “The people defined every part of this place for me. They were happy, welcoming, inviting, and open. They created the environment of peace and calm that made me want to stay there.”

Marcelo Castro traveled to Old Bagan, Myanmar where captured contemplative portrait photography of young monks.

Young Monk Portrait Photography by Marcelo Castro

Young Monks Portrait Photo

Here are other photos from Castro's travels to Old Bagan:

Young Monks Portrait Photo

Young Monk Portrait Photography by Marcelo Castro

Young Monk Portrait Photography by Marcelo Castro

Marcelo Castro: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Marcelo Castro.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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