Ouro Preto, Brazil

I just got back from my third trip to Brazil, but this time I was in Ouro Preto (wiki link). An old mining town from the Golden Age of South America, I guess you can tour the mines which brings some tourism money there. We were too busy to do a tour, but we got to see alot moving from location to location. The client was very chill and over all the job went really well. I almost got into fistacuffs with the model on the last night, but that is whole other story. It was really great to see a different place than Rio, although Rio has a much better night life and is just over all rad, Ouro Preto has very low crime and is a beautiful country town. Rio is basically the most dangerous place I've ever been and makes 80's NY look tame, so to not constantly be watching your back and be able to constantly have a camera on my side was a nice change. I would have loved to explore like I did in Argentina, just walk and find things, I was confined to each location we visited. Once again I was working with Jon Johnson which is always a good time. The kid is a real photographer's photographer. We had great conversations about photography and both made some nice flicks. Like I had mentioned in a previous post he makes these great polaroid diptychs and triptych that you should check out on his site. I think he made several great ones on this trip I'm sure you'll see at some point.

I think I'm finally getting close to being happy with my digital color work.




On our drive out to Ouro Preto we stopped briefly at a small bar, the light was amazing and like most amazing light it lasted maybe 5 minutes. The color there was crazy.

Somewhere in Brazil 2007






Jon Johnson. Ouro Preto, Brazil 2007




They were crazy religious in this town, they would recite sermons over a loud speaker several times a day, so loud you could hear it echo everywhere.

"Christ and Mary" 2007







"Graffiti scrawl on wall of a church" 2007







"Ouro Preto Landscape 1" 2007





We did a shot a little outside of town and there were a bunch of local kids, and as usual they were really interested in what was going on. Whenever I'm working on a commercial shoot and we're in a poor town here or abroad I always feel like we're taking advantage/exploiting the place. This job was no exception, especially when shooting a white model in an outfit that could cost upwards of $10,000. So I usually try to be as cool as possible to the locals and kids. I gave them a bunch of polaroid out takes and Jon shot a couple of polaroids of them, which he gave them as well. They were so excited to get them. I feel it leaves a good impression for whomever comes next.

"Cousins" 2007






"Local Boy 1" 2007






"Local Boy 2" 2007







"Ouro Preto Landscape 2" 2007