Blog

Most of my studio work is focused on students and for obvious legal reasons, I never display it on my blog nor any public medium. I sometime manage to get grown ups to step in and let them play with decor, clothes and postures. none of the following pictures were my ideas. It was a real treat to be merely a spectator and capture these instants. Processing was on the other hand my duty and I could therefore use total freedom. Black and White was somehow the obvious choice since the background was a tiny bit too coloured. it’s worth noting that for the first time I set up an Hair light high above and behind (3.5m). I find the result pleasing and will use it again.

Travel brochures advertise their destinations through their landscapes rather than their inhabitants. When I travel, I want the human experience, meet people, understand the way they choose to live and why they do so. This was on the wrong side of my “pro / con” sheet when contemplating a visit in Brazil, because the best way to get close to a human being is to interact with him and language barrier was going to be a real pain in the neck! I do not speak Portuguese nor do the common people of this country speak English. Of course, you end up meeting a guy who speaks enough to get you out of trouble or to guide you through the basics of life but you wish you could start a discussion with this fisherman, ask this woman what she cooks or enquire why this kid is not in school today…I met nice and very useful people along our journey but this is the other ones that I have chosen to show you; people that I could have spoken to if I had taken the time to learn the local language… next time… promise, I will!

I know I wrote a little about Recife and Pernambuco already, but beaches are the main reason people get to that warm part of the south American continent so I thought I could add pictures showing the best of them. This is also the place to mention how fond of beach life Brazilian people are. They settle under a hired parasol for the day and enjoy simple pleasures brought by sea, sand and sun. Add few “coco verde” and plates of prawns offered for few Reals and this becomes the perfect day. Not much of a beach dweller myself, I found pleasure in walking aimlessly on these long stretch of white fine sand and their coconut tree borders.