Who hears the Rio Thiago Barros talking about photography is surprised with so much experience and knowledge. The young photographer who is with the show metropolises - Paris exposed in Brasilia, started shooting too early. At 12 years old, was part of the Fluminense Society of Photography. Curiosity and the need to save costs led him to meet one of his passions: the laboratory. The 16 years of experience as a laboratory technician at the hands of Thiago brought works of renowned Brazilian photographers, as Evandro Teixeira, Rogério Reis and Walter Carvalho. Currently, the work of photographer Thiago Barros overlapped the laboratory technician. Awarded in France in 2005, Silva continues the Metropolis project in Brasilia, where he was recently, when he visited and taught workshop in Space Photography f/508.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Metropolis Series

You started in photography with only 12 years old, being "welcomed" by Fluminense Society of Photography. How do you see the role of fotoclubismo in Brazil and how was your path until you come to be recognized as one of the best laboratory technicians in the country and a photographer gallery?
I was sponsored by the Society of Photo Fluminense when he was very young. So, the Society of Photo Fluminense was where I grew up photography and professionally. Maybe if I was out of that institution, I would not have had the incentive. I believe the fotoclubismo had its heyday and many important names of Brazilian photography came from there. But I think now he must go through a time of overhaul.

As for my career, I discovered in the laboratory became a passion that profession. I was 13 years old when I joined a lab and, in one year, was already showing films, making copies and getting through it. Over time, I was improving the technique and began to be sought after by great photographers. In parallel with laboratory work, always produce my work as a photographer. In 1998, I won my first Grand Prix: second place in the international competition from Nikon with photography Goodbye. Until the Time Gallery, in Rio de Janeiro, proposed to represent me. I attended the Juan Rulfo Prize for Photography in 2005 in France, and was ranked first, which gave me an exhibition in Paris. The same exhibition, called Soledad, was subsequently exposed in Time Gallery. Metropolises - Paris is my latest work.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Goodbye

How is your relationship with digital photography?
As I had this experience within the laboratory, and as a matter of taste, in my original work I opt to work with film. The Metropolis series is all based on large format photography, because I wanted to make an allusion to the technical difficulties that photographers had in the nineteenth century. This technical difficulty I created a language and this language work unfolded. In this case, it made sense to put the camera on the tripod, a camera of wood with a black cloth on his head, as was done previously. I use digital photography as a tool of work, when I think technically necessary. But I also use digital tools in the process of post-production photo I do with film. I often work with digital copies and the two tools in a hybrid form.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Metropolis Series

Evandro Teixeira, Ripper, Miguel Rio Branco, Rogério Reis, Walter Carvalho and Rosangela Renno customers are some of your laboratory. How is working with these beasts?
It's wonderful, because with each one, I learn something different. And grow a lot. For example, as I had a very Cartesian photographic training, I started to like shaky and blurry pictures because of my clients, something that previously I did not admit. So, I began to see other worlds through the work that I enlarged, photographers and partners. The Rosangela Renno ownership works with images. Then language it is completely different from the ripper, for example, which is a humanitarian photographer. When I sit with him to talk about copy density, he tells the whole story of the character was portrayed by him. All that I can convey the feeling he has for that image. Are just two examples that illustrate that each photographer has a different characteristic and gives me a unique learning.

Cities - Paris, project shown at the Museum of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro and, more recently, in Brasilia, is composed of large images in black and white. His work is divided between its production staff and production technique. As you float between these two worlds?
In the background, ends up being one world. Because even when I do, for example, a photograph that was commissioned by Rosangela Renno or Daniel Senise, I am working as a technician, but I'm using my sensitivity to achieve, the best way, the result envisioned by them.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Intimacy Series

They say that photography is composed of 90% perspiration, 5% 5% inspiration and break for coffee. Ivana Bentes recent speech that "the work is the production of garbage." How do you see the market for fine art photography?
The art market in Brazil is still incipient, not in terms of quality, but the volume of work. I think he has a certain expression, but still needs to grow enough to reach international levels. The photography market, specifically, is very segmented.

As to the assertion of Ivana Bentes, I find it hard to agree because she is very strong, very derogatory. I understand that Ivana has referred to the "waste" as waste of the creation process. But I can not agree with this statement because I do art myself too worried about the outcome. Then call it garbage to me makes no sense. In my opinion, not enough to have an idea, a concept and execute it. If you are not beautiful, I'll redo.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Blue Series

In Rio de Janeiro, some laboratories have increased by about 20% in film processing. Many photography students opt for an analog camera, preferably mechanical, as the second device. The culture lomographic solidifies on flickr with about 10,000 groups. The future is analog?
I do not think the future is analogue, but we live moments cyclical. In my view, digital photography has brought an excess of images, and why not, garbage. Today, the person no longer thinks to shoot, shoot it and think later. Digital photography has opened a range of possibilities for manipulation of image construction. And I think it created an aesthetic that somehow tired. Everything is cast very, very predictable. Then, when increasing the number of film processing or the number of people using a lomo camera, it is because they are seeking a different outcome plastically this mass of digital images, and seek the unexpected, the surprise that there is no more with digital equipment. I do not think the future is analog, but I believe that both models will coexist.

Photo: Thiago Barros. Blue Series

Projects ahead ... You continue with the Metropolis, he goes somewhere else?
Metropolis is a project that does not need to die, he is timeless, so I can do it throughout my life. I'm photographing Brasilia, I shoot the Rio de Janeiro, and when the opportunity to photograph another capital, I will. I'm wanting to take exposure metropolises - Paris to Sao Paulo and Fortaleza. I also have other projects that I developed along my travels, and I will continue them until they are mature enough to be displayed.

By Julia Salustiano | f/508