We allow a wide range of topics here including; your own images, technical questions, gear talk, photography blogs etc. Please be respectful and don't spam.
I took this photo while working on a story about Carnival in Brazil. In the back of an old warehouse, I came across this upside-down Obama figure wearing a Uncle Sam hat, right next to a blindfolded Lady Justice statue. Both covered in dust and completely forgotten. In times of political polarization and ideological battles, the scene really caught my eye.
Why is the contrast in this picture so brutal? Is it only because of the lighting?
I took the picture with my Canon A1 through a Canon FD 1:4 70-210mm lens on CinestillXX film with ISO 400.
I used a pretty small aperture because I had the setting sun on 10 o’clock. (The wind turbines in the back are about 4,5km away, the Minion less than 500m)
This photo is part of a project I worked on called Favela Kombat: Girls Fight Back, and it was truly something special to be part of. I spent time visiting different favelas across Rio de Janeiro, where I met women who had all faced some form of violence, loss, or struggle. What connected them was a powerful choice they made: they decided to fight back through Mixed Martial Arts.
Each of them had a dream. Some hoped to one day step into the UFC ring. Others simply wanted to feel strong again. In a place where opportunities are often scarce, they found strength in the rhythm of training, in the sweat of each round, and in the sisterhood they built along the way.
As a photographer, I was there to document it all. But more than taking photos, I left with stories, lessons, and a deep admiration for their resilience. These women showed me that fighting back isn't just about fists. It's about re