Every time I visit Rio something interesting happens. The hunt for the perfect shot gets relaxed and photography becomes almost a second thought to what is happening in front of me. Maybe it’s knowing that so many visually interesting things will present themselves to me throughout the day that I relax knowing that by the end of it I will almost always have something visually stunning to show for it. The beauty and chaos of this beach city is nothing short of inspiring, for artist or tourist alike.

In the following images, taken mostly in Rio’s Ipanema neighborhood and surrounding areas, I look for color, layers or subjects that might transport the viewer into the scene. I seem to gravitate to silhouettes as a way to portray subjects in their element. I love the illustrative nature of the aesthetic it brings to my images.