WHO I AM


I’m a Brazilian photographer based in Warwickshire. Although it's in my DNA, I only discovered my passion for photography in 2016 when I moved to the UK. Exploring new places with my camera helped me keep myself distracted while going through difficult times. Soon I realised how much I love being inside my viewfinder – is where I feel the happiest! - and I’ve not stopped since then.

 

I’m fascinated by the magic behind analogue photography and the iconic designs of old cameras (I have a few that belonged to my dad ♥). I shoot mainly on 35mm and 120 film nowadays and I love nostalgic black-and-white photos!

 

My pictures are a true expression of myself and how I see the world around me. It’s so powerful to be able to capture a piece of history and stamp my persona into a photograph!

MY Photography BACKGROUND


I'm proud to share that my granddad Gilton ❤ (check the tribute I wrote for him here) was a professional photographer who inherited my great-grandfather's Camera shop/Darkroom - the first founded in my hometown Tatui in 1918 – the famous ‘FOTO MENEZES’!

My granddad standing in front of his shop a long time ago...

At this point, he was building his house on top of it.

His studio

My granddad's old darkroom

🖤

Although my dad chose a different career, he was a great amateur photographer! I used to complain when he was taking so many pictures/recording videos. When I was a rebellious teenager, I didn't like being photographed; I even covered my face when people tried 🙈😂

Now I understand the power of a photograph and we have great family photos thanks to him ❤

My dad standing outside the window of my grandparents' house (on top of the shop, years later). He was an adventurous person 😂

Here he was taking the mick out of me when I was avoiding the camera 🙈

My granddad’s shop sadly shut its doors in 2015 after almost a century, but it left an incredible legacy in Tatui’s history. I'm sure many pictures inside family albums/hanging in people's houses were either developed in his darkroom or printed there when the digital era came. What a great honour for me to be a 'Menezes'! 📷❤

ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS



CURRENT/PAST EXHIBITIONS:



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@leilamhawkins
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