I’m sitting down with a talented Wisconsin Fashionisto, who is dressed in a blazer, button-up and a bright neon hat. Roberto Leon, a self taught student photographer, shines brightly amongst his peers. He recently was named the Photo Director for Moda, the student run fashion magazine on campus, which allows him to get involved with various photo shoots for the publication. Besides his work for Moda, he has gotten involved with the student newspaper, The Daily Cardinal and also somehow finds time to do shoots for his personal portfolio with his friends. I sat down with Mr. Leon to get to know more about his current work along with his future plans in the fashion photography world.
Name: Roberto Leon
Role: Photo Director, Moda
CollegeFashionista: What do you enjoy most about fashion photography?
Roberto Leon: I love the whole aspect of putting things together in a frame, creating the aesthetic behind the image and the struggle that happens when something isn’t working out during shooting.
CF: Who is your biggest inspiration?
RL: I think my biggest inspirations are fantasy fashion portraits, usually work by Grace Coddington, Tim Walker and Annie Leibovitz. It’s like escaping to a made up world full of elegant clothes in beautiful places.
CF: What do you enjoy most about working for Moda and why?
RL: I enjoy the fact that I can create images and shoot them. Moda enables me to relax, because it’s a little break from school work.
CF: What do you plan on doing after you graduate?
RL: I would love to work in a fashion magazine in a creative or visual profession, but that’s far in advance. So I am planning on [going to] grad school before pursuing that dream.
Learn More: Check out Roberto Leon’s fashion work on the Moda website!
