VINICIUS BANDEIRA
Photographer of the Month | June
Vinicius Bandeira is a Brazilian photographer whose work blends raw intimacy with striking visual minimalism. Deeply influenced by the Japanese Provoke movement and the emotional grit of Daido Moriyama’s images, he crafts monochromatic portraits that speak to connection, presence, and memory. With a background in music and painting, his photographs carry the emotional depth and compositional care of a true multidisciplinary artist. Through his lens, Vinicius turns friends, family, and fleeting cityscapes into emotionally resonant images, creating a body of work that is as personal as it is universal.
Vinicius Bandeira began photographing during his childhood, initially using a compact camera. Over time, his interests shifted toward music and painting, and photography took a back seat. However, in 2020, his passion for photography resurfaced, largely due to his exposure to the work of Japanese photographers from the Provoke Era, particularly Daido Moriyama. Moriyama’s gritty and emotionally charged style reignited Vinicius's creative curiosity. This influence encouraged him to integrate his painting sensibility into photography, leading to a renewed artistic path.
His photographic aesthetic is characterized by monochromatic portraits marked by heavy grain, strong contrast, and the use of direct flash lighting. The black-and-white format is central to his visual language, offering a stripped-down, intimate look at his subjects. By eliminating the distractions of color, he focuses solely on light and the object itself. This minimalist approach fosters a deep sense of connection between the image and the viewer. Vinicius believes this intimacy is not exclusive to portraits of people but extends to the streets and to objects encountered in everyday life, where even the inanimate can possess emotional weight.
Photography is more than a creative practice for him; it is a way to connect with those he loves. This personal dimension is reflected in his choice of subjects, which almost always include friends, family, and people he has met through the act of photographing. His camera becomes a tool for bonding, a means of expressing affection and preserving moments of closeness. For Vinicius, photography is both a personal archive and a shared experience.
He sees the photographic process as more meaningful than the final result. In his view, the notion of a “finished” work does not really exist. Instead, he believes that a work is only ever abandoned and released into the world. Until that point, the creative process remains open and undefined. This perspective reveals his philosophical approach to artmaking: one that values exploration, impermanence, and ongoing discovery over perfection or closure. He respects the idea that photographs can carry their own meanings, or even lack meaning altogether, independent of the artist’s intention. This openness allows the viewer to find their own emotional or interpretive path through the work.
Looking ahead, Vinicius is slowly experimenting with color and exploring different photographic formats beyond 35mm film. In February of this year, he published his first zine, titled Visage ?1. This marked a significant step in his journey as a photographer. He intends to continue producing zines, drawn to the format for its brevity, accessibility, and ease of distribution. Zines allow him to share his work in a tangible, democratic way, extending the sense of connection that defines his entire artistic practice.
Instagram: @viniciusabandeira