Can you take us back to the beginning, what first drew you to photography, and when did you realize it could be more than just a hobby?
As far back as I can remember, I always had a camera in my hands. Even as a kid, my mom would buy me disposable cameras for family trips, and I absolutely loved it. It always felt like Christmas time when we received the prints from the lab.
As a teenager, I was really into skateboarding and snowboarding. I was always the one snapping photos of my friends while we were out riding. Still with disposable cameras, weirdly enough. I guess I was already drawn to the feeling of film.
In college, I studied graphic design and we had a photography class with access to a full film lab with a darkroom. That was a game changer. Seeing the full process from start to finish made me appreciate photography even more.
Years later, I started a creative agency with three other partners and we eventually had over 40 employees. After 15 years of this, slowly but surely I could feel my passion for branding and graphic design starting to fade away. Photography was still a regular hobby and a creative outlet for me, but when I finally decided to sell my shares of the company, I had to ask myself, "What do I actually want to do for a living?"
Photography was the only answer that brought some real excitement. That was the beginning of a new era, and I could feel it deep in my gut. Even though it was a bit scary.
How has your style evolved over the years, and what photographers or influences have shaped that evolution?
For a long time, I mostly took nature and landscape shots with my iPhone, like a lot of us did back in the early Instagram days. Until one day, my lover at the time ( Allo Gabi 👋🏼) said something that stuck with me: "Your photos are beautiful, but they’re missing people." And she was right. I was too intimidated to ask strangers for portraits at that time, even though I was drawn to this in people’s work.
So when my girlfriend left to study in Geneva back in 2017, I bought an old film camera, a Canon AV1, which I still use to this day, and started shooting strangers in the street. Around that time, I watched the documentary Finding Vivian Maier and fell in love with how she captured everyday people in such an honest, poetic way. I wanted to find my own version of that.
Still too intimidated to ask random people, I started buying coffee or food for homeless people during winter, striking up conversations, and then asking if I could take their portrait. That’s how my journey with portraiture began.
Fun fact: A couple months in, I submitted one of those early portraits, a single frame of a kind man named Rick, to a photo contest. It was my first ever roll of film, with my very first camera, and somehow I won first place. That moment gave me the push I needed to keep on going.
You split your time between Montreal and Costa Rica, how do those two places influence your photography differently?
To be honest, I really need both to feel balanced and grounded.
Montreal is such a creative hub with a ton of amazing talent. The art scene in Quebec is rich and inspiring, and being around that energy constantly pushes me to grow. Lately though, I’ve been realizing that Lisbon might offer a similar creative spark. I’ve been here for the past three months, and there’s something about the rhythm of the city that’s been driving and inspiring me in a really fluid way.
Costa Rica, on the other hand, is deeply rejuvenating. The nature, the ocean, the sunsets, the jungle, it all speaks to something much more deep and spiritual in me. I first went to Nosara in 2016 to learn how to surf, and I instantly fell in love with both the sport and the place.
During the pandemic, I was going through a rough time ( ending a 12-year relationship and quarantining alone hit me harder than I expected ), so I went back to Nosara to heal myself. That moment changed everything, it reconnected me with my true self. I’ve now spent the past five winters there, and it’s become essential to my creativity and overall well-being.
Has living in such contrasting environments changed the way you see light, space, or human interaction?
Absolutely. In Costa Rica, I work almost exclusively with natural light in organic settings in nature. It makes me tune in more closely with the environment, the tides, the sun, the elements. It brings a sense of rhythm and spontaneity that I really love.
Nosara is also a special place for connection. A lot of people go there to heal or grow in some ways, so the conversations and relationships tend to be more intentional. That kind of authenticity is so important in my portrait work.
I carry that sense of connection and presence with me wherever I shoot now. It’s a key part of my process and one of the main reasons why I do this in the first place, to connect with people.I think that’s part of why people feel safe and truly seen when we shoot together. I often hear things like, “You really captured my essence,” shared with such honesty and vulnerability, and that means a lot to me.
What challenges have you faced in your photography career, and how have they shaped your approach?
Photography has always come from a place of passion for me, so trying to build a career without losing that fuego has been tremendously important for me.
One challenge I face is when I feel like clients are just price-shopping or want things fast. I understand the business side, I worked in a creative agency for 15 years, so budgets and timelines are part of the deal. But when someone only values speed and price over creativity and intention, it doesn’t sit right with me.
That taught me to define my values clearly, set boundaries, and be selective with who I work with. It’s the only way to protect my energy and keep the love for what I do alive and real.
What’s something you used to stress about as a photographer that you’ve since learned to let go of?
I’m not a naturally stressed-out person, but big production shoots definitely test your nerves. Multiple models, locations, and dozens of products to cover over multiple days can be a lot if you’re not well organized.
What I’ve learned is that you can’t control everything. Do your best, stay present, and adapt. Some things are simply out of your hands. What matters is knowing that you showed up with intention, gave it your all within the reality of the moment, and acted with integrity, without clinging to how it should look or what the outcome should be. When you do that, you can let go of the rest, and everything will be just fine.
How do you stay creatively inspired when you're in a rut or stuck in one place?
I try to embrace the slower moments and use them to recalibrate, whether that’s planning future shoots, refining my workflow, or learning something new.
Like in surfing, there are days when the waves just aren’t working. So you rest, reset, and trust that more waves will come. Creativity has its own rhythm too.
What's one place you haven't had the chance to photograph yet, but it's high on your list?
Omg, so many places! But at the top of that list is India. I feel like it would be such a sensory overload, beautiful, chaotic, rich in stories and color. I’d love to go for a long stretch, shoot intentionally, and maybe even come back with a photo book.
If you could bring only one camera and one lens on a trip, what would you choose and why?
That’s an easy one: my Canon AV1 with a 50mm lens, and a bunch of Kodak Portra 400 film rolls. That’s where it all started, and it still feels like the most honest way for me to express myself creatively.
That camera, for me, is more than just a tool. It’s a way to stay honest and connected to why I started this in the first place. And I’m excited for all the stories, places, and human connections it still has yet to lead me to.
