What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I used to say my work is my life, because even when I’m not thinking about something specifically, I’m shooting. That’s an important part of the process; sometimes I feel stuck if I overthink a subject or pursue the same thing in images, so lately I’ve been trying not to think at all, and just let my camera and the path show me the way.
What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
I’m learning that there’s no perfect timing. Sometimes you just have to do it, put it out there, and not wait for the “exact” moment, because there is no such thing. You grow and learn when your mind is free from the obstacles we invent for ourselves. You just have to keep doing it.
What words, ideas, or emotions were running through your head?
Trying, learning, fail, restart, patience, P.M.A
What was the most difficult thing you faced this month in your creative process?
I’ve always been a film addict, so for me (and for many film photographers) the difficulty lies in the supplies. Film and lenses are extremely expensive now, and this really makes me sad because you can’t just create freely; you have to think about every step, and I feel this affects my creativity sometimes.
Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
For me, my photography is always connected to a movie, an album, or a book. I recently came back from NY, where I bought The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, one of my biggest references as a human being and a writer. I felt deeply connected to this book, especially with everything happening in the world today. It shows how we really have to stand up for what we believe in. We have one life and we should live it now, in the most beautiful way possible, and never forget who we are and where we came from.
If you could have dinner at any restaurant in the city tonight, where would it be and what would you order?
In São Paulo, we have many great restaurants with different cuisines, and I’m really glad for that, which is why it’s so hard to choose just one. But I think I’d go to Fito Cozinha, in Pinheiros. They specialize in cuisine from Piauí, a state in northeast Brazil that is very rich in meats, vegetables, and grains. I would definitely order the baião de dois, a traditional dish that is so well prepared by them. The entire staff is female, which is another amazing point.
If your life were a movie this month, what would its title be and who would make the soundtrack?
That’s funny! I believe it would be called When everything seems wrong, look further, and Rick Rubin would create the soundtrack.
Recommend us an artist you follow, someone who inspires you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
My biggest inspirations are my friends and the people around me; they always have been. In Brazil, we have such an amazing scene of people in art and photography. What I like most about their work is their freedom to create; they look at the world around them, at books, exhibitions, and vivid places beyond the internet to find inspiration.
People who live in Brazil understand the difficulty of being in a huge, populous country that is so rich in natural resources but still so young. In a way, we are swimming against the tide to make art here. To make our dreams come true, we put our ideas out there, gather our friends and people who believe in our talent, and make it happen. I think resilience is one of the most precious things I relate to in this way of working.
Cowboyboombap, Marcos Vinícius, Nina Leal and Palu Bertissolli.
Photographer and creative strategist from São Paulo, Brazil. My life is about creating narratives for places and brands, building strategies that involve identity, content, merchandising, and, of course, images.