João Cabral, Porto Photographer
by Dan Wagner
All Photos © João Cabral 2021
Camera in hand, cutting a path through the fog, the rain, and the cold dark night, street photographer João Cabral seeks the light and lines that define his home city of Porto, Portugal. His beautiful, moody photographs resonate with a worldwide audience of more than 75,000 Instagram followers. Wondering what drives and inspires Cabral to create, The Cranky Camera reached out to him for an interview. Here’s what he had to say.
DW: Hi João, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview.
JC: The pleasure is all mine.
DW: João, when and how did you first become interested in photography?
JC: I first became interested in photography was when I was studying fine art and painting in college. I was tired of painting, and wanted something that could create a closer relationship with reality, everyday life, landscape, and the passage of time. This desire fueled an interest in analog photography.
DW: What was your first camera? Do you shoot with film and/or digital cameras? And what cameras do you currently shoot with?
JC: My first camera was a Canon TLb, which was a fairly common and completely manual 35mm SLR film camera. The camera belonged to my father. After a while, I bought some additional lenses to experiment with. Eventually, I wound up trading in my analog gear for digital. The funny thing is that like many other photographers, I now shoot both analog and digital.
After years of shooting with a variety of full-frame Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic cameras, I’ve decided to shoot primarily with Fuji. Currently, I’m shooting with Fujifilm X-T100 and Fujifilm X-A10 cameras, a Samyang 12mm f/2, and Fujinon 35mm f/2, 90mm f/2, 15-45mm, and 50-230mm lenses. What sold me on the Fuji system were the compact size, low weight, fast prime lenses, and the affordable prices. The depth and variety of Fuji’s menus can be somewhat complex, but they offer features that more than justify the effort of mastering them.
DW: What are some of your influences? Do you have any favorite photographers or mentors?
JC: So many people and things inspire my work. I love French street photography from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Some of my favorite photographers are Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Willy Ronis, Izis Bidermanas, Eugène Atget, and others. Painters such as Claude Monet, and James McNeill Whistler also inspire me. Another strong influence and mentor was my college teacher – Portuguese photojournalist, Leonel De Castro. He helped me develop a documentary approach to street photography with an emphasis on shooting quickly.
I was also lucky to have talented classmates, such as my friend Pedro Pinto Bastos who shared his appreciation for landscape photography with me. However, the mentor I’m most grateful for is my father, who besides giving me my first camera, encouraged my interest in photography, and taught me the basics of lens openings, exposure times, focal lengths, and other photographic techniques.
Last, I would be amiss if I didn’t mention the inspiration I receive from the beautiful people and places of Portugal. It’s a magnificent country. The cities, especially my home city, Porto, are incredibly photogenic, mysterious, and filled with limitless visual treasure.
DW: Please tell me about your years attending the Portuguese Institute of Photography, and the Faculty of Fine Arts, Oporto University.
JC: I studied painting, fine art, and took some photography courses at the university. During my time there, I was often full of doubts. Like other art students my age, I was trying to discover what interested me the most. Fine arts awakened my visual creativity, and gave me tools for bringing my ideas to life. After doing a lot of painting, drawing, engraving, and video, I ended up specializing in photography. Upon graduation I furthered my education by taking courses in commercial photography at another school. My university years provided me with the time and resources I needed to develop into the photographer I am today.
DW: Besides photography, what other activities are you interested in? Do you still make drawings and paintings?
JC: Aside from some portraits that I made of my girlfriend last year, and a few random watercolors, I haven’t painted or drawn in a long time. At this point in my creative life, I find my interest in photography to be all consuming.
DW: Is it difficult earning a living as a photographer in Portugal? Do you shoot commercial assignments? Are there many professional photographers in Portugal? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a pro photographer?
JC: My experiences earning a living have been different from those of most of my photographer friends. Rather than pursuing commercial assignments, I’ve chosen to sell my photographs on the street, in stores, and online. There are many talented photographers in Portugal. Like anywhere else, and for a variety of reasons that are sometimes hard to quantify, some photographs are valued more highly than others. Becoming established as a sought after collectable photographer is a long journey that requires persistence and dedication. There’s nothing I’d rather do. And despite the disadvantages, I feel privileged to have a career where I can be my own boss. I love sharing what I’ve seen with others.
DW: I love the photographic prints shot in Portugal, Spain, and London offered for sale on your website. Please share your thoughts on selling prints online. Which images and sizes have sold best, and why?
JC: Online selling is both challenging and rewarding. What I’ve discovered is that people (especially on Instagram) tend to purchase prints of places and images they identify with. Buying art is both an intellectual and an emotional experience. In terms of specific images, my photos of trams and bridges in Lisbon and Porto have been very popular. I love it when people tell me how much they enjoy displaying one of my photographs in their home.
DW: I see that you offer street photography workshops. Please tell me more about the classes, and how people can sign-up for them. Are the classes in Porto? Do you offer one-day classes for tourists?
JC: I began teaching workshops with a focus on basic techniques, camera work, and composition. Most of the attendees were local. People loved it when I took them to shoot in some of my favorite lesser-known locations in Porto. In terms of offering classes for tourists, that will have to wait until the pandemic ends.
DW: Please tell me about your affiliation with K&F Concept backpacks and photo gear. Their gear looks really nice.
JC: It is nice! My partnership with K&F Concept has been fantastic. I’m a huge fan of everything they manufacture. I love how well the backpacks protect my cameras. The design, functionality, and materials are superb.
DW: Do you have any suggestions and advice for photographers visiting Portugal?
JC: Yes. Depending on where you start, there are many cities besides Porto and Lisbon for photography. Travel by bus and car is fast, inexpensive, and comfortable. I recommend what I call foggy paradises north of Porto such as Mirandela, Amarante, Miranda do Douro, and my personal favorite, Chaves.
DW: In terms of behavior, are there any things tourists visiting Portugal should do and not do? Is there a best time of year to visit?
JC: All seasons are good! However, one should keep in mind that in the summer the south is hot, and in the winter the north will often be cold and rainy. As a photographer, the best times to visit Porto are during September and October. For photography north of Porto I like shooting in November and December. And to the south, in Lisbon and Alentejo, it’s April and May without a doubt.
DW: What are some of your favorite places to shoot in Portugal?
JC: Besides the places I’ve already mentioned, in the north I like shooting in the Douro valley, and Geres Mountain. And to the south, I recommend Sintra Mountain, Alentejo, and Costa Vicentina.
DW: Your Instagram work is very beautiful. Please tell me about your decision to feature black and white photography only.
JC: I believe featuring a black and white body of work creates a cohesive and harmonious viewing experience. Curating a mix of black and white and color photographs is difficult because Instagram evolves on a daily basis. For this reason, I recently created a separate account for color work. As of right now, I haven’t decided which path to take going forward.
DW: I notice that many of your latest Instagram photographs were shot on dark cloudy days, during foggy conditions, and at night. Is this due to it being wintertime, or for other reasons? Do you have a favorite kind of light or time of day for photography?
JC: I'm not sure how the trend will play out. Having explored much of Porto by day, I’m currently venturing out more at night. Due to COVID-19, travel outside of Porto has become pretty much impossible. My favorite shooting conditions are when it’s foggy and rainy. During the summer I like to shoot in the late afternoon, and in the winter I prefer the early morning. I’m drawn to dramatic lighting.
DW: I like the way your photographs look when cropped as squares on Instagram, and also the way they look as verticals and horizontals on your website. Do you have a preference?
JC: I'm not sure why, I’ve always had a tendency to shoot vertically. I think it accentuates the composition. And, of course, I usually go with horizontals when I’m photographing landscapes.
DW: In terms of composition, I notice certain themes in your work—such as using architecture to frame your subjects and lead the viewer’s eye. I really love the photo of the reflection of the man and the steps titled Guimarães, 2019. Please share some of your thoughts on this photo, and on your approach to composing photographs.
JC: Composition is very important. For me it is one of the ways photographers can express their sensitivity, and creativity. I believe in pure photographic form. Reflections for me, as in the photo you are referring to, are a path to achieving symmetry and balance. I also like the idea that things can change the way you see a photograph. In this image, the steps lose their identity and purpose as steps, due to their being duplicated by reflection. The compositional form helps direct the viewer’s eye to the figure. The figure in the photo happens to be me. The idea to create this self-portrait was spontaneous and unrehearsed. Sometimes the best photographs owe their existence to serendipity.
DW: What are some of your thoughts and approaches regarding night photography?
JC: I have a huge hunger for night photography. I find the quality of light to be much more synthetic at night. Through experimentation with long exposures, I can shoot that which is invisible to the naked eye. There are many things hiding at night. It gives me goose bumps!
DW: Please share your thoughts about your Instagram videos. Do you show or sell videos anyplace else?
JC: Well, my videos started with as way of recording places I had already photographed a lot. They’re simply fragments of the city. Whenever I photograph, I make videos as well, because there are things that the video communicates that a still photograph cannot. The music accompanying the videos enables me to pair the music with the imagery. The pleasure of being able to illustrate some of my favorite songs is an added bonus
DW: What are some of your plans and dreams for the future?
JC: I hope to continue exploring Portugal and the world beyond through photography. I think this is a doable dream. However, a more realistic plan might be to focus on teaching – perhaps at the university level.
DW: João, it’s been a pleasure interviewing you. Thanks for your time, and I look forward to seeing more of your work.
JC: My pleasure, and thank you for choosing me.
I hope this interview has inspired you. You can view more of João’s work on his website and on Instagram. Thanks for visiting The Cranky Camera!