Interviewed by Medina Shala
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I grew up in a small town in the interior of Portugal and at 17 I moved to Lisbon, where I live currently. I work as a photographer and filmmaker, and I’m still learning about life and existence as we all are. I’m a curious person, knowledge-seeker and right now in the process of experimenting different mediums of expression to share my ideas.
How did you develop your interest in photography?
Since I can remember that I’ve had some kind of interest in image. When I was 13 I borrowed a digital camera from my dad and started playing around with it. I remember that as a kid I would always go through family photo albums over and over again, and make small films with a vhs camcorder of what was happening around me. When I finished high school and had to choose what to study, film felt like the right thing. Photography only started to become something present in my life more consciously after college in 2018.
What was your first job?
It was as a portrait photographer/videographer on a casting agency. My first freelance job I don’t remember to be honest.
How is your personality reflected in your work?
Well, the work comes from within so it always has a part of me there. I wouldn’t say that it reflects so much my personality, it does for sure reflect my emotions and how I perceive the inner and outside world. A struggle I’ve had for quite some time was communicating with others, especially communicating how I was feeling, I’ve lived for a long time inside my mind. And creating images was for me a language, a way of exteriorizing stuff. I talk in the past because I’ve came a long way and I feel I don’t use it as a ‘coping mechanism’ anymore, I’ve been learning my way into existing more freely in the outside world.
What types of art and culture do you like to consume?
Cinema and music are the art forms I consume the most. However I’ve been trying to go more often to exhibitions and theatre. Art is a beautiful way of getting a better understanding of the world, and to heal (ourselves and each other) so I consume as much as I can.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
It’s not exactly advise, but what comes to my mind is learning how to breath properly. And how much such a simple action can solve.
Photos by: Joao Marques
Leave a Reply