These two are like an explosion of quiet in the chaos. They are so uniquely and intrinsically entrailed in each other that the world dissipates when they touch. I've become so found of their love the past few months, and that does not happen very often. To be honest I am a fan of how they live their life, the love their have for their friends and family and I am still quite in love with this afternoon they chose from scratch. When they asked me if we could head over to a fair to shoot the session I was like "what?". I mean this is too cool and it's going to rock my world. I've always wanted to shoot in a fair but as I saw that not many couples would go for that idea, I just kind of dropped it a few years back, and quietly gave it a bit up. To me this sounds like fate right? You wouldn't believe how fate plays such a huge part in the life of these two. The following photographs are to me simple quietness and color in a world that is only theirs, yet it's a world that is beyond inviting, full of kindness and acceptance and rock and roll. I love them. I truly do. Discover for yourself few of the hundreds of reasons why.
These two are like an explosion of quiet in the chaos. They are so uniquely and intrinsically entrailed in each other that the world dissipates when they touch. I've become so found of their love the past few months, and that does not happen very often. To be honest I am a fan of how they live their life, the love their have for their friends and family and I am still quite in love with this afternoon they chose from scratch. When they asked me if we could head over to a fair to shoot the session I was like "what?". I mean this is too cool and it's going to rock my world. I've always wanted to shoot in a fair but as I saw that not many couples would go for that idea, I just kind of dropped it a few years back, and quietly gave it a bit up. To me this sounds like fate right? You wouldn't believe how fate plays such a huge part in the life of these two. The following photographs are to me simple quietness and color in a world that is only theirs, yet it's a world that is beyond inviting, full of kindness and acceptance and rock and roll. I love them. I truly do. Discover for yourself few of the hundreds of reasons why.
Eu não peço muito. Dêem-me um passeio, espírito aventureiro, uma praia escondida e a vossa verdadeira essência e eu farei fotografias em felicidade. E vocês passarão um serão incrível a serem vocês mesmos exactamente como o são quando estão sozinhos, apenas um com o outro. Esta deveria ser a verdadeira razão de querer congelar um certo momento no tempo. Ninguém tem de estar noivo, ou casado ou a celebrar mais do que vocês mesmos e a forma como sentem acerca um do outro. A Sílvia e o João sabem isso. Não apenas porque a Sílvia é uma pessoa e fotógrafa incrível e o João tem uma alma de aventureiro mas porque os dois entendem o poder da arte. O poder de criar algo para nós mesmos. Se o mundo tem a oportunidade de ter um glimpse disso, é pura sorte. Porque o que realmente importa é quem nós somos e a forma como a pessoa que amamos é um reflexo disso mesmo, e o melhor que eles nos conseguem fazer ser. É só isso. Sem truques. Sem momentos falsos. Estas, são todas reais. Eles queriam ir a esta praia tão difícil de chegar e tão escondida e eu estava louca para o fazer. Essa sou eu. Eu vou ao fim do mundo para criar. Eu vou até ao fim do mundo para materializar uma visão em algo que eu sinto ser bonito. Eu só quero é clientes como estes. Clientes que se tornam amigos, não apenas porque temos a oportunidade de criar arte tão bonita juntos, mas porque temos a oportunidade de abrir os nossos corações. E isso acaba por ser a melhor coisa deste mundo. Vejam a prova.
I do not ask much. Just give me a hike, adventurous spirit, a hidden beach and your true soul and I will make photos in happiness. And you will have a wonderful time just being yourself like you are used to be when you are alone with just the other. This should be the true reason to want to freeze a certain moment in time. You shouldn't have to be engaged, or married or celebrating something but yourselves and the way you feel about each other. Sílvia and João know that. Not only because Sílvia is a wonderful person and photographer and João has an adventurer's soul too, but because they understand the power of art. The power of creating for yourself. If the world gets to get a peek of that, it's just luck. Because what matters is who you are and the way the person you love is a reflection of just that, and the best that they can make you be. That's it. No tricks. No fake moments. These, are all real. They wanted to go to this hidden tricky beach and I was head over heels about it. That's who I am. I go miles to create. I go miles to shape a vision into something I think is beautiful. I just want clients like these. Clients that become friends, not only because we got to make beautiful art together, but because we got to open our hearts. And that just happens to be the best thing in this world. See proof.
Sabrina is beautiful inside and out. She's the kind of spirit that inspires others without even saying a word. I've met Sabrina a few years ago, we worked together and even though we never talked on serious philosophical things, I got her right away and knew she was and is an inspiring soul and the type this world should have more of.
She contacted me saying that she wanted a few pictures of herself. She followed my work and always thought about doing a session, but thought she would be no match to the girls I photograph all the time. That made me giggle. If she knew that all the girls I photograph say the exact same thing she would laugh too. They do. And that is why I created the project BeRaw afterwards. Because I believe in a project that makes you see yourself how others see you. A project that makes you feel sexy, beautiful and comfortable in your own skin. I pretty much think she nailed it this day. See proof.
Os quatro primeiros frames são das minhas duas irmãs. Elas têm um trabalho que amam que não podia ser mais longe de ser modelo. Elas só me deixam a mim fotografá-las e é porque eu ao princípio as obrigava (ninguém diria, certo?). Eu apareço nos dois frames seguintes. Em modo auto-retrato, mas a defender também o que quero fazer com este projecto (não seria justo se também eu não tivesse abraçado a minha própria crença se não assim). Esta intro vem a propósito de eu estar a desenvolver um novo projecto. Um projecto com o qual pretendo que as mulheres, acima de tudo mas não só, percam um pouco o estigma de se verem como realmente são, mulheres, pelo medo de nos rotularem como algo que não somos. Não é um projecto de empoderamento. Não pretendo sequer banalizar esse termo ou contexto, pois não é de todo essa a questão. Mas quero que as mulheres se sintam femininas ou o que mais desejarem, que se sintam quem se querem sentir sem complexos. Sem julgarem que só as modelos se conseguem sentir "sexy" ou confortáveis no corpo que têm. Quero dar-vos a entender um lado vosso que nunca viram retratado, e que percam duas horas a ver o reflexo disso na minha camera e no meu olhar, e depois nas fotografias que vos entregarei, para sempre. No fundo é uma sessão individual mas com um teor diferente, mais íntimo, mais cru e sem capas, e para mulheres que aceitam ser o início de um projecto que espero que ajude a alterar mentalidades acerca do corpo feminino e da forma como no fundo o que mais interessa é cada pessoa ser uma pessoa, cada mulher uma mulher. E nós somos muito mais que um corpo. Mas que este é nosso e temos o direito de o celebrar, seja ele como for.
This comes as an intro for a new project I want to celebrate. I want women to approach me and want to be photographed in raw mode. Like this. The real you. These are not shots of models. These are a women, my sisters, me and client friends that never were ever photographed by anyone but me. I've never even approached a model agency or photographed professional models. Because even models might want to be photographed in more relaxed, casual and cozy ambients. A reflection of the real you. That is who I am. No fancy settings. Just me and the person in front of my lens. Real people leading real lives, women with daughters and sons who want to break the stigma that the body is shameful and the women body belongs to the ones they are in love with (parents, husbands, sons). No. Their body belongs to them, and as weddings, birthdays, special occasions, they deserve to be celebrated. Because they are part of what we are. As women, daughters and mothers.
Às vezes as palavras falham-me e tudo o que resta para traduzir algo que se sente são as imagens. As fotografias tiradas. E tudo porque tive a possibilidade de entrar na vida de duas pessoas e elas foram sinceras, e sem medos me deram durante uma tarde aquilo que são verdadeiramente. Fotografar a Nina e o Francisco (e o Ben!) foi uma honra, uma honra que espero poder repetir em breve! Sinto-me tão agradecida por no processo de fazer o que amo, poder conhecer pessoas fantásticas que valorizam a minha paixão e que confiam em mim. Às vezes as palavras falham e tudo o resta são estes momentos.
Sometimes words fail me and everything that is left to be able to translate what it is felt are images. The taken photographs. And all because I had the chance to enter the life of two people and they were sincere and unafraid and shared with me for one day who they really are. It was an honor to photograph Nina and Francisco (and Ben!), an honor that I hope to repeat soon enough! I feel so thankful for in between the process of doing what I love, I can meet amazing people, people that value my passion and people who trust in me. Sometimes words fail me and all that is left are these moments.
Terapia de Auto-retrato sempre.
Self-Portrait therapy always.