Hi, I’m Raul—I’m glad you’re here. Here’s a little bit about my journey from Guatemala to Brooklyn and the moments I love to capture.
I grew up in Guatemala, where I spent most of my time with a pencil in hand, sketching and drawing. Eventually, that love for visual storytelling shifted into a deep passion for photography.
In 2011, I made the move to Brooklyn and dove right into the city’s creative scene. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to build a career doing what I love—working as both a photographer and a retoucher in fashion, commercial, and product studios all across New York.
When I’m not in the studio, my personal work is really a reflection of my personality. I’m fascinated by the way we connect with each other, and I find a lot of inspiration in music, my friends and those shared experiences where people come together for a common moment. I try to keep my lens focused on that energy—the joy, the vitality, and the candid scenes that happen every day around me.
You can find my retouch work here: www.raulcotobatres.com
Raul’s visual story starts in Guatemala, but his journey brought him to the suburbs of New York City as a teenager. He first taught himself to draw and sketch, which gave him the strong foundational skills that later led him to photography.
He officially moved to the city in 2011 to launch his professional career. With over a decade of experience, he’s been a go-to specialist, working as a photographer and retoucher in major fashion, commercial, and product photo studios across NYC.
A big change happened for Raul in 2020 when he discovered cycling and bikepacking. This passion has sparked a whole new chapter for his creativity, leading him to immersive photographic adventures and a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature and the outdoors.
His personal photography is a true reflection of who he is. He’s drawn to the authentic side of life, celebrating those unrehearsed moments and dynamic situations he observes. This pursuit is heavily influenced by his love for music, which helps him find and translate deep emotion and feeling into his visual stories.
Ultimately, his personal work is all about documenting and highlighting the joy and vitality of the human experience.