April 21 : 2025
João Coelho
João's images never seem to shy away from or yield to his subjects and their unique situations. In this way, they represent some of the best aspects of black and white photography. Raw and vivid yet refined and mesmerizing, they dare you to look away.
by Lily Fierman
"Purification"
2nd Place Winner | Non Professional
Q:
Can you please tell us more about creating your winning image, “Purification”?
A:
This image is part of a documentary I made about a religious ceremony called liberation. Once a month, a group of believers meet with their pastor on a deserted beach in Angola to free themselves from the evil spirits that have taken over their bodies. The faithful go into a catatonic state as the pastor places his hands on their heads while loudly commanding their liberation and invoking the presence of God. It is an act of great emotional intensity and drama that culminates in the purification, a moment of rare beauty in which the pastor takes the hands of the faithful while saying a final prayer before immersing them in the warm waters of the bay. Only with the purifying waters of the sea is the liberation complete.
Q:
How do you know when you’ve “got” the image?
A:
This is a very interesting question! In the specific case of this report, I have to say that the scenes I witnessed on that beach affected me in such a way, because of their intensity and inexplicability, that it made me immerse myself in that emotional atmosphere and almost belong to that group of believers, as if I were one of them. The richness of the documentary unfolding before me made me certain that I had not just one, but countless unique images. When I got home and began editing the footage I had shot that morning, this certainty was confirmed. This experience, and many others like it that I've had in my photographic career, lead me to say that more often than not, a photojournalist or documentary photographer does not know if they've captured a unique and iconic image until the editing stage. When that happens, it is the Holy Grail of photography.
Q:
Do you keep in touch with the folks you photograph? Do you plan to photograph any of them over time?
A:
Yes, that is often the case, because my photography is characterized by my closeness to the people. It the only way I can understand their fears and concerns and tell their stories as realistically as possible. It almost as if it an ongoing study of the human condition that leads me to revisit people and lives to get to know them better and, in this way, create narratives that faithfully translate reality and convey messages. This approach has led me more and more to explore projects that may contain several chapters.
...my photography is characterized by my closeness to the people. It's the only way I can understand their fears and concerns and tell their stories as realistically as possible.
Q:
Do you ever feel like the folks you capture are somehow ‘acting’ for the camera just because you're photographing? Or do you feel like a ‘fly on the wall”?
A:
If the people I photograph represent me in any way, or seem to represent me, it because I've failed in my goal as a documentary photographer. I am very careful and demanding in this regard, so I usually plan my projects well in advance, sometimes for several months, until I get the people photograph to consider me as one of them and act naturally as if I were just a fly on the wall.
Q:
What’s next for you?
A:
As i've said before, I'm focusing more and more on doing projects with a more complex narrative structure, usually with more than 40 images and accompanied by text. This form of expression allows me to give the viewer a deeper immersion not only in the story I want to tell, but also in the rang of emotions and feelings I felt myself while doing the reportage. I intend to continue to explore themes in these projects that allow me to denounce injustices or inequalities, whether in the way people live, work, or are viewed by society in general.
Q:
What is the image you’re most proud of?
A:
The pride I take in my photography comes not from any particular image, but from knowing that my work has helped to change the world for the better, even if it is just a drop in the bucket. Fortunately, I have accomplished this on a number of occasions when some of my reports have had the power to change consciences and mobilize people to take action and help those who need it most. I have been not only proud, but very honored to have been able to make that happen.
ARTIST
