I am a Portuguese independent documentary photographer and photojournalist focused on human rights issues. My passion for photography began at age 6 with my first camera, a Polaroid. I graduated and worked as an architect for several years before studying analog photography at ArCo, which led to my internship in photojournalism at the portuguese newspaper Público, where I dedicated myself exclusively to photography. My interest in Portuguese colonialism began while photographing the making of Pele Escura (2021), a film addressing racism and inclusion. This experience inspired my next project, Trançar o Mundo (2022) — a visual exploration of African hair heritage and symbolism, created in collaboration with Afro-descendant hairdressers. In 2023/2024, I was selected for the Masterclass Narrativa, taught by Mário Cruz, a two-time winner of the World Press Photo Award. It was during this masterclass, where I began developing MARIA. This ongoing project has won the Cortona On The Move Award 2024, and been a finalist for the Prix Virginia 2024, APhF Dummy Award, and Blow Up Press Book Award, while receiving an Honorable Mention at Novos Talentos Fnac 2024. Recently, I covered the 2024 Paralympics in Paris for Reuters. As a contributor to Público, Reuters, The Guardian, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, I aim to shed light on critical issues, amplify marginalized voices, and use my lens to provoke thought and inspire change.
