Photojournalism

I began taking photos professionally while studying Journalism in the Midwest of Brazil and working as a darkroom technician in the university’s b&w lab. After graduating, I worked as a photojournalist at a local newspaper. At the time, digital cameras were already in use, but they were very basic - the one available at the paper used floppy disks, and the whole process was painfully slow. It feels almost unbelievable to think about it now.

Later, I moved to Fortaleza, a coastal city in the northeast of Brazil, where I joined a larger newspaper as a photojournalist. The cameras there were Canon’s latest digital models and felt like a huge step forward, although my first assignments (before being formally contracted) were still shot on analogue cameras. Most of these photographs were taken on the streets of Fortaleza, between 2006 and 2010.

All these experiences, from the darkroom to the newsroom, enriched me deeply, both as a photographer and as a person. Witnessing the harsh realities of poverty in Brazil’s poorest areas left a lasting impact on me. At the same time, my encounters with every layer of society, from prisoners in jails to politicians in government offices and ordinary citizens in the streets, shaped my early understanding of the world. They also taught me how to connect with people from all walks of life.