Portrait Session in Lisbon with Carolina Piteira

Portrait session in Lisbon with Carolina Piteira

I was still in Brasil when i got this call from my dear Friend Carolina Piteira , Portuguese Artist based in Lisbon.

She needed some portraits for her clients and a portrait session for herself. After Brasil I stayed in Bilbao and got the next day flight to Lisbon.

Lisbon is one of those city that I adore. Authentic, charming, artistic and affordable. Even though it’s a European Capital, Lisbon has preserved the character of a fabulous city.

Me and Carolina started immediately the portrait sessions she scheduled for the 3 days I would stay in Lisbon.

Why do I love Portraits?

Portrait has been one of my major interest since i started photography. Every single person has got a different character. The crucial thing in portraits is to gain his/her trust and to be able to capture emotions. This require a good understanding of human feelings, being able to say and do  the right thing at the right moment . Portrait photography is more about mental connection than actual photography. On the top of that a  you need amazing light and great posing .

Emotions, Lighting & Posing combined together create a powerful photograph.

In the case of Carolina’s assignment I had very little time to work with the subjects. Barely one hour  and I needed to use the available window light transforming it in a professional studio lighting. It was a great Challenge therefore inspiring. We shot 3 portrait session with 3 very different characters and than we focused on Carolina’s portrait.

We got to her studio late in the evening. The afternoon light was almost over and I had to benefit from the very last minutes of brightness .

I decided to place Carolina in front of the door, lighting her up with the last  soft brightness coming from dusk. Doing so I would get two different dominances, the bluish light from outside and the yellow dominant from inside getting a wider palette of colours and depth. This combination would last only few minutes before the sun would completely set.

Within those minutes we managed a variety of expressions which showed the determination and joy of a young artist working hard to get her name out there.

I used for all the portraits, the 3 sessions and carolina’s the following

• Fujifilm Xt2
• Fujinon 16-55 2.8

The specifics changes for each shot, mainly Manual mode using f:2.8

Edited in Camera Raw

Sessione fotografica di ritratti a Lisbona – con Carolina Piteira

Mi trovavo ancora in Brasile quando ricevo una chiamata dalla mia cara amica Carolina Piteira, artista portoghese stabile a Lisbona.

Aveva bisogno di alcuni ritratti per i suoi clienti e una sessione per se stessa. Subito dopo il Brasile rimasi  a Bilbao per prendere  l’aereo del giorno dopo per Lisbona.

Lisbona è una di quelle città che adoro. Autentica, affascinante artistica ed economica. Anche se si tratta di una capitale europea , Lisbona ha preservato tutto il suo carattere  rendendola una città meravigliosa.

Appena atterrato iniziammo subito le sessioni di ritratti che erano state organizzate durante i tre giorni che sarei rimasto a Lisbona

Perche Amo fare i ritratti?

La fotografia di ritratto è da sempre uno degli stili che più mi affascinano. Ogni persona ha un carattere differente e per riuscire a scattare dei “veri” ritratti è necessario ottenere la fiducia del soggetto. E’ fondamentale riuscire a catturare le emozioni che caratterizzano il carattere della persona ritratta. Questo richiede principalmente capacità di interazione e comprensione, riuscire a percepire le emozioni umane essendo capace di dire e fare la cosa giusta al momento giusto.

La fotografia di ritratto è più una connessione tra individui che semplice fotografia. Oltre a tutto questo si deve pensare alla luce e alla posa.

Questi tre elementi: luce, emozioni e pose creano ritratti forti e di grande impatto.

Nel caso dei ritratti che mi sono stati commissionati da Carolina avevo poco meno di un’ora per ogni soggetto e l’unica luce che potevo utilizzare era quella che filtrava dalle finestre di casa. Il mio compito era di riuscire a ricreare scatti da studio in ambiente domestico e senza essere invasivo. Difficile e per questo interessante!

Alla fine dei tre giorni abbiamo fatto 3 sessioni con 3 tipologie di persone completamente differenti. Finiti i ritratti ci siamo concentrati sulla sessione per Carolina

Arrivammo nel suo Studio a Lisbona che già il sole era quasi completamente tramontato. Avevo qualche minuto di luce.

Decisi di far posare carolina all’ingresso del suo studio utilizzando la scala come sedia, un utensile che caratterizza molto il suo lavoro. Ponendo il soggetto sull’uscio della porta ho ottenuto due dominanti cromatiche forti che hanno dato profondità alla fotografia. La dominante blu degli ultimi raggi del sole e quella gialla interna delle lampade dello studio che riflettevano sui quadri dorati.

Nell’arco di qualche minuto, prima che il sole andasse completamente via, abbiamo ottenuto una serie di espressioni che mostrano la natura determinata e allegra di una giovane artista che sta lavorando sodo per  far emergere il suo nome.

I used for all the portraits, the 3 sessions and carolina’s the following

• Fujifilm Xt2
• Fujinon 16-55 2.8

The specifics changes for each shot, mainly Manual mode using f:2.8

Edited in Camera Raw

Carolina’s work

Carolina Piteira started a Painting Degree in Portugal, at Universidade Superior de Belas Artes de Lisboa in 2008, as part of her degree she joined the Erasmus Exchange Programme at University of East London where she transferred and finished her course with a First Class Honours Degree in Fine Arts along with the Limehouse Arts Foundation Studio Award in 2012.
In 2014 she was nominated by the Ministry of Economy of Portugal an Ambassador of “Portugal Sou Eu”, to represent and support the Portuguese market as an emerging artist abroad.

Since she finished her studies, Piteira has won several prizes including the DegreeArt Signature Art Award and has exhibited in Lisbon, Malaga, Cyprus, Athens and London with various group and solo shows.

In 2015 she was invited to be part of “Imago Mundi” Collection, works commissioned and collected by Luciano Benetton.
Her last solo show titled “The Encounter” with large-scale works raised funds to start the “Portugal Genial” Foundation dedicated to contributing to the development of artists of genuine distinction in their particular fields.
Carolina Piteira currently lives between London and Lisbon.

EDUCATION
2014 Art Business Course – Christieʼs London
2010-2012 BA Fine Arts (Awarded First Class Honours), University of East London
2008-2010 BA Painting, Universidade de Belas Artes de Lisboa
2000 AR.CO, Summer Course, Portugal

SELECTED EXIBITIONS
2016 Portrait 16, Degree Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2016 Periplos, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Espanha
2015 ARTIS 2015, Galeria de Arte do Casino Estoril, Portugal
2014 R.O.T.H Reflections On Traditionalism & Heritage, Grosvenor House, London, United Kingdom
2012 Graduates for 2012, AVA Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2012 Surface & Presence, Rich Mix, London, United Kingdom
2012 World in our eyes, The Hellenic Center, London, United Kingdom
2011 Reflections, Mile End Art Pavilion, London, United Kingdom
2011 BA 2011, AVA Gallery, Docklands, London, United Kingdom
2011 2011 Signature Art Awards, Degree Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2011 Melina Mercouri, Nicosia, Cyprus
2011 World in Our Eyes, Sofia Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2011 Bethnal Green Resistance Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2010 The Camp, London, United Kingdom

SOLO EXIBITIONS
2015 The Encounter, Chiado8 Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon, Portugal
2014 Curtain Falls, Degree Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2014 Behind the Red Curtain, Eight Members Club Gallery, Bank, London, United Kingdom
2010 The Blue & Green The Lake Resort Gallery, Algarve, Portugal

ART FAIRS
2014 Art Athina- Contemporary Art fair, Athenes, Greece

MEDIA
2011 Work and Interview aired on BBC Arabic
2010 Work and Interview aired on Porto Canal

COLLECTIONS
Carolina’s work has been placed in numerous private collections internationally, including Luciano Benetton’s art collection.

AWARDS
2014 Ambassador of “Portugal Sou Eu” selected by the Ministry of Economy of Portugal, to represent and support the Portuguese market as an emmerging artist abroad.
2012 First Prize Fine Arts, Limehouse Arts Foundation Studio Award, London, United Kingdom
2012 Selected student put forward by University of East London as a candidate for the Nacional Hermione Hammond Bursary, London,UK
2011 First Prize in the 2011 Signature Art Awards. Degree Art Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2010 Travel grants to attend and present in the Erasmus Student Exchange Programe in London, United Kingdom
2009 First Prize in the National Painting Competition at El Cort Ingles Lisbon, Portugal