Malta’s now-iconic boatman Joseph Catania has caught the eye of photographer Lorella Castillo, who had been hoping to capture him on camera for some time, and finally got her chance.Castillo, known for her dramatic use of lighting and the strong sense of storytelling running through her photography, shared her portrait of Catania after finally spotting the viral Maltese character out on the water.“I’ve carried the idea of photographing the legendary @cataniajoseph102 for a while, and I finally saw him,” she wrote.And it’s not hard to see why Catania made for a compelling subject.He will already be a familiar face to Lovin Malta readers after going viral for his remarkably picturesque trips through Malta’s Grand Harbour accompanied by his flock of birds.Lovin Malta previously reported how one of his videos exploded internationally, attracting 1.1 million views, more than 134,000 likes and over 2,400 comments.The videos show Catania calmly making his way through the harbour aboard his boat as birds gather around him, creating scenes which viewers compared to something straight out of another era.Some even joked that the Maltese boatman looked as though he had stepped directly out of a Renaissance painting.His combination of a traditional-looking boat, the Grand Harbour backdrop and his feathered companions proved particularly popular online, with viewers from around the world captivated by the peaceful slice of Mediterranean life.Now, Catania’s distinctive presence on Malta’s waters has inspired another striking visual interpretation, this time through Castillo’s lens.Given Castillo’s reputation for using light and atmosphere to turn photographs into stories of their own, Catania and his almost cinematic presence on the water made for a fitting subject.From viral boatman to photographic muse, Joseph Catania is quickly becoming one of the Grand Harbour’s most recognisable characters.Share this amazing piece of artwork!Photo credits to @lorellacastillo•