Helenabraga

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: Helenabraga

Um artista__________my father


Happy Saturday!


1: How long have you been involved in photography?

I was born in a home of photographers: my parents. The marvels of the world outside came to me in black and white photos… this is how I learned to see nature, the beauty, the interesting things. My father used to go on trips all over the countryside of Brazil in the fifties, sixties, seventies… He brought animals, landscapes, houses, people and their lives to us. He is both a photographer and a painter and when he was 22 years old he founded the Plastic Arts Society in his city – one of the founders.
He also designed some tools, cameras too. My father was a creator, an inventor, and my mother fell deeply in love for him.
I learned to photograph without photometers, because he wanted to develop my sensitivity for lighting… And I agree with him, he was right… I love the light, and its opposite, the shadows. It´s from the shadows that the light is born, or it is noted. During my childhood and my college days, when I was in Medical School, there was a laboratory in my house, and we, my brothers and I, used to do black and white photography. All the chemical solutions were developed by my father, with the best results.
Then I began my professional life as a doctor, soon got married and had children, and my job and family took all the time, so the photography became just a dream for the future… I didn’t have any spare time, I worked a lot, even on Saturdays and Sundays!
Now, my future has arrived!


2: Equipment you use?
I use :

Camera Canon XSi

Lenses: Canon 50 mm, 1.8
Canon 70 – 300 mm IS
Canon 28-135mm IS, f 3,5 – 5,6
Canon 10-22mm
Sigma 105mm, 2.8
UV filters Hoya and Tiffen
PL filters Hoya and Tiffen
Extension tubes Canon
Close-up Hoya +1, +2, +4
Tripod and Monopod Manfrotto
Flash EF-500 DG Sigma ST

Camera Canon G9

3: Mac or PC?

PC.

4: What inspires you?

The light and the beauty inspire me. The eternal light-shadow duet is a fascination for me, they give shape and volume to all things, and colors to life. I´m a nature lover, and since my childhood I’ve been seeking for the light, I love the beauty. Then, I photograph nature. Flowers and fruits are inspiration and passion. The flowers are the perfection…I love them. I like landscapes too, and I walk over the world looking for lakes, mountains, canyons and rivers. Another passion is the sea and its mysteries, the deep waters, the waves… Very attractive and dreamy. Poetry lives in nature. The desire for beauty and photography inspire me to travel, to go to places that could be near or far from my city… I go on holidays, or I dream about it. The pleasure to visit a new city, an unknown place is wonderful… I feel like a child, I experience great happiness.
I´m inspired also in many members of Flickr, where I’ve made great friends and met excellent photographers.


When I was a Medical student, I liked to do microphotography. This is a very interesting world, cells and tissues are amazing, the colors and shapes are stunning.

5: Preferred subject matter?

I prefer: macro photography and landscapes.

6: Name one thing you haven't caught with the camera that you REALLY want to capture.

The submarine world… A great dream.

7: When in doubt about your art, who do you confide in?

I confide in my brother, Renato Braga, and some friends.

8: Qualifications/training in anything? ie: Photoshop

Curso de Extensão em Fotografia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul.
I´ve also taken some workshops in still life, Photoshop, Lightroom, etc.

9: Plans for the future?

I want to improve my photography and travel throughout the world, seeking for beauty and poetry. This is my life…

10: In one word, describe your photography.
One word? - PASSION!