Luiza Potiens is a young freelancer photographer based in São Paulo, Brazil. She graduated in photography in 2011 and since then she’s mostly taking fashion, lifestyle and portrait photography and videos. Most of her work is simple in form warm and soothing to the eyes. Her recent images featured here portray beautiful female figures and abound with pleasing nature elements… lots of flowers. Some of these images have not been posted anywhere else so far.
Hi Luiza! Tell me about your love for flowers… there are lots of flowers in your photos:
I absolutely love flowers. Plants and nature in general. I love any kind of green that is in front of my face. I even stop to see small green plants that lurk between from concrete spaces in a sidewalk or cracks in a wall. It’s just the way I am. I’m like this since I’m a kid, so I don’t know how to explain.
What does photography mean to you?
Sometimes I have problems to express myself. Photography is like an escape I found, for me where I don’t have to explain anything, I just do what I feel and what I want, and people often understand, through my images, things that I couldn’t express personally. When I noticed this was working, I couldn’t stop. It just made me realize that is my way of sharing so many things that keep echoing on my mind.
How do you begin a project and how does it progress?
My favorite project is Menina Flor. It was born with my best friend in university, Julia, in 2010 I think… We would love to get together and she would model and I’d shoot.
When I started photographing fashion shootings I realize a big difference there… And I liked both! But shooting people I knew, usually dear ones, has that something special. I started to seek beauty, delicacy and women that weren’t familiar with the camera to represent the feminine. The flowers were blossoming with the time and I couldn’t take it out anymore… It was such a perfect fit! That was when I decided the name of the project and that this was going to be something I would do for a long time. I have so much love and a lot of plans for this project!
Tell us about your methods of shooting? Do you plan your shoots or work in an instance?
In fashion shootings there’s a lot of planning, starting with the theme to talking with other professionals, stylists, make-up artists, location hunting, casting with agencies. I carry a little notebook with me too, where I often draw scenes and write ideas that I’d like to photograph. With the personal projects, I do have a lot of ideas in my notebook too, but it happens more naturally than the professional ones.
Tell me about your photography equipment (camera, lenses, software) you mostly use:
I love to use more analog but for work I have to use digital. I use a Canon 5d mark II and my favorite lens is 50mm.
Do you have a favorite photo or a significant memory related to photography?
Not exactly. Sometimes I realize I’m in love with a particular shooting/photo, but soon it’s old news for me and I’m looking forward for a new one.
What do you think about contemporary photography?
I love more and more of contemporary photography. It’s easier to be a photographer these days, and this opens space to new talents to emerge. For inspiration it’s just amazing! But, unfortunately (at least here in Brazil, with a serious economic crisis), this has also become harder to work in this market.
Tell me about your achievements, awards, clients, publications, etc.
I’m really grateful to say that I’ve been featured in some magazines in Brazil, London, USA, Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan and many others.
What are your future plans/projects, ambitions, inspirations etc.? What about monetization of your work?
I have a lot of plans, but I’m really patient with my destiny now. I used to be really anxious, and I tried to accomplish so much at the same time… A lot of things, really good and really bad things happened in my personal life this past year, and now I believe things have the right moment to happen. I also believe that it’s not good thing to talk about things before they happen as it stops the way of the luck. So I’ll owe you this answer! hehehe
Monetization… well, it matters, because I have to pay rent and bills like everyone else. But when it comes to money, it’s not the reason I’m still a photographer. I just can’t stop, I can’t imagine my life without doing it.
Please share your favorite stuff: photographers, quotes, films, books, music etc.
That’s a difficult question. So, I’ll tell the first things that comes to my mind now when it comes to inspiration: A lot of young photographers in Flickr, I couldn’t choose just one. Plants, candy colors, craftwork, wood, my home, when my boyfriend plays his guitar, the orange sun in my living room when the day ends, the wind in my hair in a roadtrip, the kind of love you feel in a friend’s hug. I’m usually inspired with real life. But here it goes too: Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola, Harry Potter, Tycho, Death Cab for Cutie, First Aid Kit, City and Colour, The National, John Mayer, Nada Surf, Portugal. The Man…
Something to say to our readers or aspiring photographers:
Just be real to you and what’s inside your mind.
Amazing photos
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