Sandra Cattaneo Adorno (Rio de Janeiro -Brazil) began photographing eight years ago, at the age of 60, and has been continually excited by the possibilities of interacting with the world that photography offers her.

In this interview Sandra tells us about her experience in photographing these brazilian beaches and what it means for her to capture this contrast of light, reflection and color in her characters with her lens.

When and where did you start photographing? Who has been the reference of your photography?

SC: I started photographing eight years ago, when my daughter took me to my first photography class as a present for my 60th birthday. It was the spring of 2013 and the course was tutored by Alex and Rebecca Webb in Barcelona. ‘Oh God,’ I replied to my daughter Gwen when she asked me to go, but I went for the fun of it. I had no idea how to use the camera and I was obviously the worst in the class, but for some reason, I don’t know why, I really found it fascinating. It was very funny. I had never thought of doing photography but something clicked and I loved it.

“I sometimes look at some of my pictures and wonder what there was in them that compelled me to take them. Often, I don’t have an answer. I think this is one of the most beautiful things about photography”

I have been exposed to art of all kinds and I think I have internalized elements of composition and beauty that might reappear in my photos without my being aware of it. Photographically, I appreciate the way in which Alex Webb can compose an image: it puzzles me to see how he can construct images that create an order out of the chaos of everyday life.

What do you want to communicate with your images?

SC: I sometimes look at some of my pictures and wonder what there was in them that compelled me to take them. Often, I don’t have an answer. I think this is one of the most beautiful things about photography: to work in ways that are unconscious and unpredictable, and maybe a bit magical. Eventually for me a photograph is good not because of what is in the frame, but because of the emotions it evokes and where it takes you. I agree with Brassaï when he said that photography must suggest, not insist or explain.

What does street and documentary photography mean to you?

SC: Photographing for me is always an exploration, always an adventure. I let my eyes guide me and where they take me is unknown to me: I love photography because it allows me to be open to the world and the people around me in ways that always surprise me.

The thing that inspires me the most in a photograph and the thing that I would like to achieve in my images is a feeling: I would like to be able to communicate emotions through my pictures. The most rewarding thing is when I am able to invent something new and my eyes see things in a different way from how I saw them before.

“Photographing for me is always an exploration, always an adventure. I let my eyes guide me and where they take me is unknown to me”

How are your life experiences reflected in the symbolisms that we see in your photographs?

SC: Having a camera is for me a great justification to approach people from different walks of life and burst the bubble I was brought up in while taking part in their experiences. In my latest book, Águas de Ouro, I took photos in Rio de Janeiro, the city where I was born. In these images, I tried to capture my childhood memories transformed by the changes the city has undergone throughout the years.

Rio has undergone many changes, but the most significant one from the time I was a child is the fact that Ipanema used to be a very exclusive location and only the people who lived there used to visit its beach. Now Brazilians from all walks of life and social backgrounds can go to Ipanema and use the beach. In fact, many of the people I have photographed are from underprivileged areas in the city and going to Ipanema represents for them the realization of a dream: their joy is one of the elements that I wanted to try and capture.

“, I am drawn to strong light and bold colours, which I believe also comes from my Brazilian childhood: I love the way in which strong light and harsh contrast transform a scene and layer it with mystery, as much as I appreciate the strength of bold colours and the immediacy with which they can communicate emotions”

Visually, I am drawn to strong light and bold colours, which I believe also comes from my Brazilian childhood: I love the way in which strong light and harsh contrast transform a scene and layer it with mystery, as much as I appreciate the strength of bold colours and the immediacy with which they can communicate emotions.

I enjoy playing with what is visible and what is hidden, as it can open up possibilities for narratives or stories to unfold within a single image. For that reason, I often experiment with reflections and try to photograph through surfaces to increase the enigmatic quality of my photographs.

Do you remember your first exhibition / publication? What motivated you to publish your documentary and street photography work?

SC: A few years after I started taking pictures, I was commended for the Sony Awards and, as I saw my photo exhibited at the Somerset House in London, I realised my photography had value and started believing in it more and calling myself a photographer. I believe photography was a gift that came to me later in life, when I was least expecting it and it has allowed me to be part of a wonderful community. I feel very committed to this gift and I want to share it.

I feel that with photography I am always learning: it always surprises me and, most of all, it still is a lot of fun. Photography has offered me experiences I never thought would be possible: I exhibited my pictures around the world and I am now working on my third book.

SANDRA CATTANEO ADORNO

ARIADNA LASSER

ADOLFO GRACIA