p e d r o b a r a t a
professional freelance photographer
based in Lisbon.
Since a very young age that i've been fascinated by art, from drawing and painting to sculpture and photography, but this last option was never considered before, as i grew up strugling with stuttering and my professional choices were, for a long time, conditioned by it, leading me to choose in behafe of the necessity of being left alone, while maintaining some creative authonomy. Photography demanded a constant contact with strangers that i wasn't prepared for.
Pencil drawing was my first field of interest, with origin on a large collection of comic books and graphic novels, which led me to study how light interacted with the human body, regarding volume and shape. after that, came 3d animation, which gave me solid knowlegde on body motion and cinematic language.
It was only at the age of 46, that I considered, for the first time, that photography could be a valid professional option for me.
I was going through a divorce and all the usual profound changes, in my life structure, were on the table. at the same time, stuttering was no longer an issue, and just before that, I realized that i had found my vocation in photography.
so i just went for it.
Since then, I have been learning, experimenting and searching for consistency in my work. developing my own visual language.
I've worked in 3 studios, sharing the first 2 and, on my own, on the last one.
what really engages me are the emotional aspects of an image. what do i want the viwer to percieve or react and how to do it.
aesthetically, i have found myself, naturally leaning, towards a fusion of photography and a graphic language rooted in drawing and cinema, with a strong focus on the use of light/shadow and colour as a way to deliver intensity and emotionality.
Fep awards 2021
federation of european professional photographers
portrait competition
3 entries - 3 merit awards
Rosa Villa
Miguel Sermão
Louise L'Amour
co-published in 3 photography books and co-exibited on 2 ocasions
