My time in the Amazon just became even more enriching! I’ve made good friends with a few of the tourists here. I just so happened to be talking to one of them about my love of art galleries and museums. With the location we’re in, you can imagine that it’s a little challenging to find one nearby.

Museu de Arte De Sao Paulo

Also known as MASP, this Brazilian museum is the first one we ventured into upon arriving in Sao Paulo. From what I learned, MASP is one of the most influential and vital art museums in South America.

This museum, which means Culture Shock, was the first gallery we discovered. Before we found the gallery, we kept seeing these elaborately vibrant murals that seemed to be painted on select buildings. We later found out that the street art was a small representation of the young art culture brewing just under the surface. I really enjoyed observing the work of Daniel Melim who had a comic-book style pieces that also carried a lot of free-thinking concepts. As I sat down to take in the entire exhibition that I was admiring, I found that fresh inspiration had even spilled into the cushions that secured my seat. The fresh creativity that these young artists are bringing to Brazil is very promising!

Casa Triangulo

After getting a taste of how the museums were in Sao Paulo, we decided to visit another gallery more on the edgy and contemporary side. This museum has been around for over 25 years and is an equally significant contribution to the visual arts as well. This gallery is well known for nurturing and merging the careers of numerous artists who have now made a name for themselves in the contemporary art industry. Casa Triangulo was also the forerunner in capitalizing on art fairs on a more global scale. One of the artists that I absolutely loved was Assume Vivid Astro Focus. Their use of geometric shapes, pulsating colors and transcendental atmospheres really seemed to transport me to another space in time that may have been happening all at once!

Galeria Fortes Vilaca

Last but not least, we visited another art gallery in Sao Paulo to end our visual expedition. Similar to Casa Triangulo, this museum features contemporary art that also supports the talent of Brazilian artists but on a higher international scale. Another one of their missions is to feature more artists from around the world. The number of exhibitions and artists they had was almost overwhelming to say the least!

Exploring the cities of Brazil was so invigorating! After we finished marveling at museums and galleries, we grabbed some delicious Brazilian food for dinner while joining the dance and laughter sprinkled across the street. This region of the country is shaping up to be one of my favorites!

I’m back again with more adventures of the Amazon to tell you about! I just woke up about an hour ago and had an amazing session of group meditation with some of the other tourists here. My first home and lifestyle shoot here last week was nothing short of incredible and I really got the chance to learn more about the Amazonian culture.

Definition of a Lifestyle Photographer

A lifestyle photographer specializes in the art of capturing uninterrupted moments in a creative way. They seize the moment and allow the events in front of them to unfold beautifully so that they can display a different story every time. Lifestyle photographers have the advantage of capturing people in their natural environments. Instead of worrying about setting up the shot or directing the individuals in the shot to act a certain way, a lifestyle photographer can shoot their clients while they do normal everyday things which adds to the main element of this genre. The simplest thing, such as a woman standing on a chair and adjusting her wall clock, has the potential to turn into an intriguing story. Similarly, a shot of a middle-aged man carefully adjusting the arm of his rustic old record player can be a powerful image.

Because everyone has a different lifestyle, it really helps to diversify what the lifestyle photographer shoots and eventually what ends up in his portfolio. Take me for example. Although most of my work is based in the US and the UK, I still have opportunities to shoot lifestyles that are beyond the norm of traditional standards. Another element that defines a lifestyle photographer is the component of shooting the entirety of any and every emotion that decides to show up at any given time. It’s pretty common to assume that this particular genre only captures the happy times full of laughter and love, but it’s important to also be aware of the fact that there will be some shots captured that portray the darker side of life that can sometimes grip the viewer in an intense way. In a nutshell, a lifestyle photographer embraces the full spectrum of life.

Definition of a Photojournalist

A photojournalist ventures more into the current events that happen within society through the eyes of human experience. Although they can tell a compelling story similar to lifestyle photographers, they have a different angle to what they are trying to portray. The main element that they operate from is to make sure that the story they create through their images delivers and confirms facts. Like lifestyle photographers, a photojournalist also has the freedom of shooting events in their rawest forms, with no need to pretend or set up a shoot. Their angle, however, is unique in that one of their main focuses are on capturing the aspects of life that most may not be aware of, such as wars and desolate conditions. To take it even further, photojournalists are responsible for shooting facts in action so that the visual story they create helps the many readers and viewers connect with human experiences different from they’re own. Recently, this genre of photography has transcended its original role and has started to evolve into more multimedia and film mediums through the press and newspapers.

So there you have it folks! Although lifestyle and photojournalist photography can sometimes have a thin line of similar definition, both genres contribute to society in an incredible way. It’s now time for me to jump back on the horse and start to set up for the next lifestyle shoot session. I better move fast; the rain clouds are swiftly approaching!