Artist statement
Costa Christ
A quest for visual excellence.
My name is Costa Christ. I am an internationally published artist and photographer based in Dallas, Texas. I am driven by a relentless pursuit of winning, at any cost. Winning is the force behind every meaningful relationship, achievement, and experience I have ever had in my life. I see “winning” as a unique and personal opportunity presented to every human at some point in life. It is the often brief but defining realization of a dream—a dream that once required unwavering discipline, defiance of the odds, disregard for doubtful critics, and a personal commitment to never quit, even in the most ambiguous moments of failure.
I understand how precious and difficult it is to win. In 2014, less than two years after graduating from SMU with a degree in accounting, I used a semi-professional camera, a single lens, and an old tripod to begin Costa Christ Media, a photography enterprise with an emphasis on architecture. With no formal education in photography, I began my quest for visual excellence. My weekends in my early 20s were spent in camera shops, watching tutorial videos, and reading countless articles and forums as I developed my own style and interpretation of architectural photography. With limited resources, I was often forced to improvise; shooting interiors without any external lighting equipment that all the “experts” deemed essential to compete. It was extremely difficult to convince prospective clients to give me an opportunity, as I insisted on shooting interiors with all lights off.
In an effort to prove the capabilities of my technique and build a portfolio that would attract a broader audience, I offered to shoot large projects for $50, sometimes even for free if necessary. I began to establish instrumental relationships with leaders in the local industry, many of which I still proudly maintain today. These opportunities were made possible not by a rare skill set or innate creative talent, but by my willingness to work extremely hard and consistently deliver high-quality photography tailored to each client’s specific needs. After five years of relentless persistence, the shooting style that initially hindered me became my registered trademark and the defining pride of my identity as an architectural photographer: Strictly natural light.®. Over the course of my career in architectural photography, I earned the opportunity to photograph more than 3,000 beautiful homes for hundreds of clients, including some of the most accomplished and awarded residential architects, builders, interior designers, and real estate agents in the nation. My work has been featured across the globe in publications including Forbes, Southern Living, Veranda, and Architectural Digest.
From 2017 to 2022, I averaged more than 300 residential photography projects per year. My wife and I would travel to Europe every July to recharge before returning for the second half of our busy season. During these trips, I would bring my camera, hoping to capture a few personal images from our hard-earned travels. These photographs were never intended to be shared publicly. Rather, they served as intimate reminders of our time exploring the world and celebrating our growing love of international travel. During a trip to Greece in 2019, I received news that one of the projects I had photographed for an interior designer was selected for the front cover of a popular interior design magazine. The image chosen by the editors included a TV above the mantel that had been digitally altered to display a photo I took during a recent vacation to Santorini, per the designer’s request. It was at that moment I realized these images needed to be shared—and could be appreciated for their beauty if produced and presented at an exceptional level.
This marked the beginning of a new chapter in my ongoing quest for visual excellence, and Costa Christ Art was born. It began with a personal commitment to an enduring mission of travel, exploration, and adventure. I have spared no expense in ensuring patrons of my art series invest in an exclusive brand of limited-production fine art photography, skillfully crafted with the finest materials and techniques available. In creating fine art, I intentionally aim to set my work apart through simple compositions, complemented by a sharp, luminescent abundance of detail. Subject matter varies, but each image I capture and each Edition I craft is intended to evoke powerful emotion in the viewer. The Costa Christ Art series is a reflection of my personal celebration of life, creative freedom, and the pursuit of my American dream. This work, and everything it represents, is bigger than me. My hope is that it will endure beyond my time on Earth—because ultimately, that’s what winning is all about.
