[Photography] My Favourite Place To Shoot

A few weeks ago I heard about Light, a new camera technology company.  They have recently developed a SmartPhone-sized camera which claims to give you “DSLR quality in the palm of your hand”.  It was the first time I’d heard of such a thing, and I was intrigued.  I absolutely love my Nikon D300S, but it’s difficult to bring with me everywhere I go, for practical and safety reasons.  My iPod, on the other hand, fits in my pocket, so I find myself shooting with it much more frequently.  I would absolutely LOVE to try out this new camera to see how it compares.  

Light asked me to be a part of their #VantagePoint project in which bloggers talk about their favourite place to shoot and share a photo from the location.  It was hard to pick one place, especially given all of the beauty that surrounds me here in Florianópolis, Brazil.  I love the beaches, the forests, and the Portuguese architecture.  But my favourite place to shoot right now is actually at home, in my own garage.

Photo taken by Garett from As We Go

During the past year, I’ve studied the light that comes into this covered space and have realised it makes an ideal situation for portraits.  Except at sunset, the light is always indirect, making it comfortable for subjects to look into.  If the subject is looking outwards into the yard, their entire face is evenly lit.  I’ve taken great posed portraits as well as cute candid shots of the kids.  I couldn’t pick just one photo, so here’s four of my favourites.

My son, Shasta, looking extremely hip: 1/500s, f2.8, ISO 200

My younger son, Sebastian: 1/125s, f 1.4, ISO 200

For each of these photos I used my Nikon D300S camera with a Nikkor 50mm/1.4 lens.

I chose my garage over the beach as my favourite place to shoot because I’m so familiar with it.  I know that if it’s cloudy, sunny, or raining, I can still get a well-lit shot.  I love the colours of my garage and it’s a place where people feel comfortable, so it’s easy to capture them naturally.  I love doing clean, simple portraits, so having a place with predictable lighting is a wonderful thing.  It’s almost like a studio.

At sunset, the light is a bit harsh, but still lovely for candid shots like this one of me and friends Adriano and Pedro on my 31st birthday this past June.

Suggestions for budding photographers: In portrait photography, if not all photography, lighting is always the most important thing!  Spend some time observing the light around you – in and around your house, in your neighbourhood, etc.  See how it changes during the day.  Study your subjects.  Are faces fully lit, or are there shadows?  Is the light too bright/harsh?  My go-to conditions/locations for good lighting are in the shade, by a window, golden hour(at sunrise/sunset), or an overcast day.

Thoughts or questions?  Shoot me a message and I’ll be happy to help.

Find out more about Light.co and their exciting new technology on their website, on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

If you liked this post, check out my Photography page for more tips and tutorials.

[Food] Vegan Gringas

Portuguese translation by Kristen Wruck Hammer.

Before this year I hadn’t given veganism much thought.  While I’m not a huge meat eater,  I consume quite a lot of milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, and honey – animal products that are essentially forbidden if you adopt a vegan diet.  I especially love milk.  Growing up, we always, ALWAYS had a four litre jug of 1% milk in the house.  It goes so well with cereal, with cookies, with coffee… it is an essential part of my diet.  For that fact alone, going vegan was never an option I considered.

Antes deste ano, eu não dei veganismo muita atenção. Enquanto eu não estou a fim de comer muito carne, eu consumo muito leite, queijo, iogurte, ovos, e mel – produtos de origem animal que são essencialmente proibidos se adotar uma dieta vegana.  Principalmente, adoro leite. Desde jovem, sempre SEMPRE tivemos uma jarra de 4 litros de leite “1%”em casa. Sai tão bem com cereal, com biscoitos, com café… é uma parte essencial da minha dieta. Só por aquele fato, tornar-se vegana nunca era uma opção que considerei.

In February I met Brittany, a university exchange student from California.  She is vegan, and she taught me how to make nut milk, which was surprisingly easy and delicious.  We had a number of conversations about veganism and I started to think about it.

Em fevereiro eu conheci a Brittany, uma estudante de intercâmbio da Califórnia. Ela é vegana, e ela me ensinou como fazer leite de castanha, que foi surpreendentemente fácil e deliciosa. Tivemos varias conversas sobre veganismo e comecei a pensar sobre isso.

A couple of months later I heard a podcast about Esther the Wonder Pig, a pet “micro-pig” that turned out to be a full sized (650 lbs) commercial pet pig.  She has an instagram account and her “parents” wrote a book about their experience with Esther and opening an animal sanctuary.  It is just wonderful and I highly recommend it.

Pouco meses depois, ouvi um podcast sobre “Esther the Wonder Pig” , um animal de estimação “micro-porco”, que depois que cresceu, acabou tendo 650 libras, que é o tamanho de um porco comercial. Ela tem uma conta Instagram, e seus “pais” escreverem um livro sobre sua experiência com a Esther e sobre a sua abertura de um santuário animal. É simplesmente maravilhoso e eu recomendo dar uma olhada.

Derek, Steve, and Esther

Steve and Derek were not vegans or vegetarians before they adopted Esther.  But loving her as a pet completely turned them off eating pork, and gradually other animals and animal products.  I laughed out loud when I read this part, in which Steve talks about the decision to go vegan:

“If I can’t eat meat, what will I eat?  I hate salad.  I hate weird vegetables, which to me is most of them.  What was left?  Was I going to be stuck with seeds and nuts?  Would Derek come home one day to find I had morphed into a bird?”

O Steve e o Derek não eram veganos, nem vegetarianos antes que adotavam a Esther. Mas, amando-la como um animal de estimação, os deixou totalmente contra comer porco, e gradualmente incluiu outros animais e produtos de origem animal. Eu ri alto quando li este parte, onde o Steve fala sobre a decisão de se tornar vegano:

“Se eu não posso comer carne, o que vou comer? Odeio salada. Odeio verduras esquisitas, que para mim é quase todas. E agora?  O que resta? Eu acabaria sendo preso em comer só sementes e castanhas? Será que o Derek volta para casa um dia para encontrar que eu tinha se transformado em um passarinho?”

But at this point, things started sinking in.

“I’d always pictured milking a cow as happening on some beautiful farm on a lovely green pasture among rolling hills.  Some sweet little girl with pigtails heads out with a bucket to milk ‘ol Bessie.  Poor ‘ol Bessie probably wants to be milked.  She’s happy to provide milk for the family, and they love her for it.  That’s the story of milk, right?”

Neste ponto, começou a cair a ficha.

“Eu sempre imaginei que ordenha uma vaca aconteceria em uma linda fazendinha num belo pasto verde..entre os morros ondulantes….uma menina muito doce, com tranças, saindo com um balde de leite para ordenhar a velinha, se chama a Bessie… Tadinha da Bessie provavelmente QUER ser ordenhada., né? Ela deve estar feliz para fornecer o leite para a família, e eles adoram-la por isso. Essa é a história do leite, certo?”

*Sigh*.  Maybe that was the story of milk for some people, at some point in time.  But I don’t think it is today.  It made me think about the animal product industries and what I want to support/not support.

*Suspiro*.  Talvez era a história do leite para algumas pessoas, em algum ponto no tempo. Mas eu não acredito que é assim hoje em dia. Isto me fez pensar sobre as indústrias de produtos de origem animal, e sobre o que eu quero apoiar/não apoiar.

Vegan Gringas

In June I met Erna through a Facebook Group for Expats; she is from Kosovo and has lived in Brazil for the past four years.  She and I have been spending lots of time together, talking about our interests and passions – namely, vegan cooking and baking!  Erna makes amazing hummus, and I love to experiment in vegan baking.  When we decided to start selling our products, “Vegan Gringas” was born. (Gringa is a term for a female foreigner in Brazil)  Although Erna and I are not 100% vegan, we embrace the philosophy of veganism – to promote ecological and kind environmental and animal practices.

Em junho eu conheci a Erna através de um grupo para Expats no Facebook; ela é de Kosovo e mora no Brasil faz quatro anos. Ela e eu estamos passando muito tempo juntas, conversando sobre os nossos interesses e paixões – ou seja, culinária vegana e “baking” (assar)! A Erna faz incrível húmus, e eu gosto de experimentar assando comidas veganas. Quando decidimos começar a vender nossos produtos , “Vegan Gringas” nasceu. Embora Erna e eu não somos 100% veganas, nós abraçamos a filosofia de veganismo, que é promover práticas ambientais e ecológicas.

Erna (and Sombra)

We’ve started selling our goodies at different feiras(markets) which has been a lot of fun.  It’s a wonderful way to build community and meet interesting people!

A gente começou a vender nossos guloseimas em varias feirinhas, que tem sido muito divertido. É um ótimo jeito de construir a comunidade e conhecer pessoas interessantes!

To me, being a vegan isn’t about giving up every animal product forever. To me it’s a philosophy; a school of thought that says “By not eating animal products I am fighting for a healthier, kinder world.” If we all moved towards a more vegan lifestyle, we would be helping the environment and saying no to unfair living conditions for animals raised for meat/milk/eggs etc.  Each time I choose a vegan meal or recipe, I feel like I’m helping the world if only by a tiny amount. I’m also helping myself to stay healthy by eating more plant based foods.

Para mim, ser vegana não é sobre abrindo a mão aos todos os produtos de origem animal para sempre. Para mim é uma filosofia; uma escola de pensamento que diz “Em não comer produtos de origem animal, eu estou lutando por um mundo mais saudável, e mais amoroso.” Se todos nós começamos adotar um estilo de vida mais vegano, estaríamos ajudando o ambiente e dizendo um grande NÃO às condições injustas para os animais criados para carne / leite / ovos etc. Cada vez que eu escolho uma refeição vegana ou faço uma receita vegana, me sinto que estou ajudando o mundo, mesmo que seja apenas uma gota de ajudo. Eu também estou me ajudando a me manter mais saudável em comer mais alimentos à base de plantas.

Our goal with “Vegan Gringas” is to spread this message. We make and sell yummy vegan food in the hopes of raising awareness, starting conversations and forming community based on this idea.  We would also love to sell natural homemade home and body products like soap, shampoo, detergents, etc.

Nosso objetivo com “Vegan Gringas” é espalhar esta mensagem. Nós produzimos e vendemos alimentos veganos muito gostosos na esperança de aumentar a consciência, iniciar conversas, e criar uma comunidade baseada nesta ideia. Nós também gostaríamos de vender produtos naturais e caseiras, para a casa e para o corpo. Items como sabonete, xampu, detergentes, etc.

We encourage others to join us. If you want to make and sell things at the Feirinhas with us, do it! (You don’t have to be a vegan or a gringa)  Liking and sharing our posts on Facebook/Instagram is also helpful.

This is about doing something we love(baking, cooking, creating) and sharing it with others in a positive, collective way, in the hope that we can make our world a better place.

Nós encorajamos outros a se juntar a nós. Se você quer fazer e vender produtos nas feirinhas com a gente, seja bem-vindos! (Você não tem que ser vegano, nem gringa) Curtir e compartilhar nossos posts no Facebook / Instagram também ajuda.

Isto é sobre fazer algo que amamos (cozinhar, assar, criar) e compartilhar com os outros de uma forma positiva, coletiva, na esperança de que podemos tornar o nosso mundo um lugar melhor.

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

Be a part of our journey by following us on:

Facebook

Instagram 

You can find Kristen Wruck Hammer who did our Portuguese translation at www.highersoulhealing.net and www.downtoearthenglish.com

[Photography] The 100 Strangers Project: #10 Diane & #11 Breno

Read more about The 100 Strangers Project here.

#10: Diane

This lovely lady is the owner of my favourite consignment shop(Brechó) in Floripa, Brecho de Marte.  It’s on the way to my bus stop, so I pop in there frequently.  Diane is always very friendly and helpful and on this day, which happened to be my birthday, I was in the mood to take a Stranger Portrait, and she cheerfully agreed.

#11: Breno

I met Breno at the Lagoa Craft Market.  He was selling bracelets, earrings and other jewellery he had made.  Right away I noticed that he was a very sweet, soft spoken man.  He showed me how he made the bracelets, and talked about how much he enjoyed creating things.  Halfway through our interaction I asked, “Qual é teu nome?”(What is your name?)  He looked at me for a moment with bewilderment.  He said, “You took those words right out of my mouth.  I opened my mouth to ask those exact words and you said them.”  We talked about how important it is to be kind to people, even and especially people we don’t know.  Our world is going a bit crazy but many good people exist, and we need to connect with each other.  Breno said some very kind words to me and I felt like we bonded over that short time.  During our conversation I thought, “I want to remember this connection.  I’m going to ask him for a photo.”  I then explained my project and he was very willing to take part.

With Breno I learned something.  While this project is meant to improve my portraiture skills and feel comfortable approaching strangers, it’s about more than that.  It’s about connecting with “strangers,” who really are only strangers until you start having a conversation.  It’s about acknowledging and connecting with other human beings.  It is one of my personal goals to try and acknowledge people more, even if it’s just looking at people in the eye and smiling at people I pass on the street.

Of course, we have to be safe and cautious when we speak to people we don’t know.  But let’s not allow fear to rule.  Let’s connect with our fellow human beings.  You might even meet a gem like Breno.

See my other strangers here!

 

[Photography] The 100 Strangers Project: Alexandra

Beautiful.

Alexandra is the ninth “stranger” I have photographed.  Our little session took place a couple of weeks ago while I was waiting for my bus to go meet a friend.  I was waiting for my bus when I saw her sitting on a bench.  I immediately knew that I wanted to take her picture, but I was nervous.  I was by myself with no one to encourage me but my own inner voice, and we were in a crowded bus station.  I first considered the safety aspect of it(I have had two cameras stolen in the past) and then the comfort level for her – I probably wouldn’t want to have my photograph taken in a public place full of people I didn’t know.  But I knew I would regret it if I didn’t at least ask.  So after quite a few moments of walking around building up courage, I approached her.  I said, in Portuguese, “Hi, how are you?  I just wanted to tell you that you have beautiful eyes!  I’m a photographer, and I’m doing a personal project of photographing people I don’t know.  I noticed you and I would like to take your photo, if you want!”  At first she was taken aback – I think she was pleased about it but also very shy about having her photo taken.  She hmmed and hawed about it for a while.  I kept telling her she didn’t have to, there was no pressure, but in the end she agreed.  Three quick snaps and we were done.  I am so glad I did it, because I absolutely love the photo.  For being nervous she did a great job of looking confident and relaxed.  I felt empowered afterwards and proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone.  I am loving this project!  I can’t wait for the next stranger!

Make sure to check out my other “strangers” here!

Guest Post: Starting Over, Again by Jamie Searle Romanelli

Today I’m sharing an honest and courageous guest post by my good friend and fellow expat, Jamie, about her experience with culture shock upon moving from England to Brazil. I admire her transparency about the challenges she has faced, and I’m sure anyone who has lived abroad will be able to relate. I know you will enjoy this beautifully written essay.

A photo I took of Jamie last year for her translating business.

“There are no foreign lands, it is the traveller only who is foreign.”
Robert Louis Stevenson

Two years and three months ago, I made the decision to move to Brasil. It was a decision which was quickly made, recklessly even, for I gave very little thought to the true magnitude of the immense transition which lay before me. As is often the case when life-changing decisions are made so swiftly, mine was motivated by love. I fell hard and fast, in a way I hadn’t known before, and for once (being a cautious, studious type who usually researches everything to infinity before acting) I decided to trust my gut. I remember my now-husband asking me back then whether I felt I could live long-term in a country which wasn’t my native one. At that time, I had been ‘on the road’ with my translation work for the majority of the preceding year, in London, Berlin, then Buenos Aires. I had been flirting with the location independent lifestyle, which certainly has many benefits, but after a year of moving from one housesit to the next almost every couple of weeks, I was already longing to feel a little more settled. Having always loved the idea of living abroad, and feeling a swift connection to Brasil, I assured him that it would be (and I quote): ”No problem at all.” I knew I would miss people; my family, my friends. But I felt sure I wouldn’t feel homesick for England.

Oh, how naive I was.

Read the rest of Jamie’s amazing post here on her blog, Portuguese and Papagaios

You may also enjoy:

   

The Most Important Thing #13: Debby

The Most Important Thing is back!  I’m excited to continue with this project, which is to take photos of people I love and to discover what they believe is the most important thing in life.  This is Debby, a wonderful friend I’ve made since moving to Brazil.  Debby is so special.  She is the type of person that gives you all of her attention when talking to you.  She is gentle, kind, and funny.  I recently took some photos for her professional website which you can visit here.  This was one of the photos from that session and I really like it.  As you can see she is beautiful inside and out!

Age: 31
Occupation: Therapist
Nationality: Brazilian
Belief System: I don’t think I have just one “system” – the ego creates a lot of them!  But I’m trying to let them just be there (in my mind) while I connect with my inner source – my soul, which provides the best way I can see and live reality.

What do you believe is the most important thing in life?

To be open to it.  What it means to me, to accept everything that happens to us – to just exist, without judging if something is good or bad.  Things just are.  And flow, discovering and sensing every feeling, experiencing every taste that life provides us.  In the end, I believe everything is a manifestation of love.  Just to enjoy while we are here! 😉

Thank you Debby!

Make sure to check out what others think is the Most Important Thing!

The Beautiful Neighbourhoods of Florianópolis

Florianópolis, the city and island on which I currently live, is absolutely stunning.   Composed of several unique bairros(neighbourhoods), there is always somewhere interesting to explore, and in my case, photograph!  I’ve taken these photos over the last couple of years, and while it doesn’t cover everything, it’s a start.  I hope you enjoy, and are inspired to come and visit!

First of all, a map of Florianopolis:

Santo Antônio(close to Sambaqui):

I absolutely love Santo Antonio, with its Portuguese architecture, seafood restaurants right on the water, beautiful sunsets, and small town feel.

Praia Mole:

One of the most popular beaches on the island, its name means “soft beach.”

Lagoinha do Norte:

Our friend Pepe has a beach house here that we spent a day at last year.  A beautiful spot.

Barra da Lagoa:

This colourful neighbourhood has a cute beach-town vibe.  There are lovely natural pools you can hike to and swim in(so much fun).  In the winter penguins migrate through.

Riberão da lha:

Another sweet neighbourhood in the south of the island with more Portuguese architecture and is so quaint and quiet you almost feel as if you’ve gone back in time, or perhaps have been transported to Europe.  It’s absolutely lovely and I’m so glad we live close by.  A fabulous place to sit and watch the sunset.

Naufragados:

The southernmost beach of the island, it takes a 50 minute hike up and down the side of a mountain to reach it.  I recommend running shoes and not carrying small children.

Costa da Lagoa:

R$15 and a thirty minute boat ride will take you to Costa da Lagoa, where you can visit these lovely waterfalls:

Campeche:

Santinho:

Moçambique:

South of the island:

Armação:

Corrego Grande:

The neighbourhood we lived in for a year upon our arrival.

Lagoa:

The neighbourhood I lived in on my first trip to Floripa in 2008.  It’s right in the middle of the island and is the best place to go for arts, culture, cute cafes and nightlife.  Not to mention sand dunes and a beautiful warm lagoon.

Stay tuned for more!

Pedro: Quatro Meses

Pedro is four months old now and is getting so cute and chubby!  Or as Brazilians would say, “fofo”(fluffy)!  I loved seeing him and his family again.  His expressions are so precious.  You can see his one month pictures here, or his parents’ maternity sessions here and here.  Enjoy!

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Photography tip: achieve natural smiles from your clients by standing on their bed and nearly being decapitated by their ceiling fan.

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All photos taken with a Nikon D300s with a 50mm 1.4 lens.

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Are you interested in a photo shoot?  Contact me.  Check out my portfolio here.

Você está interessado em fazer uma seção de fotos?  Contate-me.  Olha para meu portfolio aqui.

Anderson Family + Editing Video

How gorgeous is this family??  Raphaela is Brazilian, Aaron is American, and their baby Orion is so cute he’s almost edible.  I met them through the Facebook group “Gringos in Floripa” about a month or two ago.  We had a great time at Praia Campeche, and then took a few more photos at my house.  Taking pictures of beautiful people in beautiful places is pretty much my favourite thing ever.  Click photos to enter slideshow, and enjoy!  There’s also a video below of how I edited one of the photos.

All photos taken with a Nikon D300s with a 50mm 1.4 lens.

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Are you interested in a photo shoot?  Contact me.  Check out my portfolio here.

Você está interessado em fazer uma seção de fotos?  Contate-me.  Olha para meu portfolio aqui.

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Watch the video below to see how I edited this adorable photo of Orion:

Do you have a photography question?  Ask here and I’ll try to answer it for you.

Maternity Session: Hilary and Yuri

I had the pleasure of shooting Hilary and Yuri’s maternity session recently.  When you combine beautiful people with beautiful scenery, it’s hard to go wrong.  I am so excited for these first time parents and I can’t wait to meet baby Iara!  Enjoy!

Você está interessado em fazer uma seção de fotos?  Vamos falar mais.  Olha para meu portfolio aqui.

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Are you interested in a photo session?  Contact me.  You can see my portfolio here.