We get our daily dose of inspiration from various sources, and Instagram has become one of them. A picture can say a thousand words, it’s true, but when they’re done right, they can say even more. We contacted our favorite Instagrammers to see what makes them tick, why they chose this forum, and what we can expect to see from them in the future.
@sejkko
@sejkko[The lonely houses project] is a complex thing. When I was little, I realized that in the end there is a part of us that is alone, always. I associated this with the drawings of houses and stick figures we do as children. That sort of early childhood realization had stayed dormant until I was walking in the neighborhood of my family home in Madeira.
There was the house of a kind medical doctor, alone, with a long hallway leading to the door. I stared at it and I can’t explain why, but my six-year-old drawings came back to me and I began exploring this more.
Most of my lonely houses come from the Alentejo area of Portugal, but there are several from Spain, France, and Turkey. I have also met the residents of them a few times. I recall one lady in her garden being extremely kind, and another time there was a man who saw me and came out of the house, stared at me for a bit, and smiled. I took his photo.
The reason I…continue to stay [in Lisbon], is because I have found myself here. There has to be some sort of genetic memory involved for sure. I want to contribute to the evolution of this country, and its culture.
@elsa_alex
@elsa_alexI have been living in Lisbon for more than 12 years and I work as a business developer for a Spatial Engineering company. Instagram for me is pure amusement, an escape, and a form of joining and sharing the (many) pictures that I’ve been taking throughout my days.
My life was not always spent in Lisbon. I was born in Coimbra, I lived in Guarda, and after finishing a course in Lisbon I lived in Italy, France and Holland. I came to the conclusion that Lisbon is in fact one of the best cities to live in.
Light is what I seek in my pictures. It is always what draws my attention and what makes me shoot: light variations and shadows, patterns and contrasts. I don’t consider myself either an artist or a photographer. I don’t have any work on display, nor plans nor projects. A photograph is something that I live, that fills me and that frees me. Everything that I am taking I publish in Instagram. I will try to grow in the future, to develop. To learn more about photography and to educate the eye: To get to transmit that into my images.
My life was not always spent in Lisbon. I was born in Coimbra, I lived in Guarda, and after finishing a course in Lisbon I lived in Italy, France and Holland. I came to the conclusion that Lisbon is in fact one of the best cities to live in.
Light is what I seek in my pictures. It is always what draws my attention and what makes me shoot: light variations and shadows, patterns and contrasts. I don’t consider myself either an artist or a photographer. I don’t have any work on display, nor plans nor projects. A photograph is something that I live, that fills me and that frees me. Everything that I am taking I publish in Instagram. I will try to grow in the future, to develop. To learn more about photography and to educate the eye: To get to transmit that into my images.
@lx_pedro
@lx_pedroI was born, raised, and currently live in Lisboa where I work as an emergency nurse. I have decided to stay here because I love my city: it’s a great city to live in and it’s also very photogenic. My inspiration comes from moments, the way I see things: usually simple everyday things.
I have always loved photography, but I never had any formal training. Instagram for me is a just a fun way to show my pictures to my friends and the world. I took all of them with my iPhone, and even though Instagram is just an app, for me, it’s a hobby that has turned into an artistic outlet.
In terms of showing my work to the public at a gallery or something, I have had some invitations, but I’ve never done a show. For now, you can see it only on Instagram and facebook.
@tozzzze
@tozzzzeI was born in Estoril and now I work in IT and live in Linda-a-Velha (Oeiras). Due to the financial crisis, many Portuguese have been forced to leave but I’m lucky to belong to one of the last generations that were able to build a life without having to.
I don’t have a “creative process” because I don’t see myself as an artist, but you might find some recurrent themes. If anything they are a reflection of me, my moods, my limitations, and my twisted mind. Instagram has allowed me to meet people from around the world who share a passion for visual storytelling. With it, I can express myself through pictures and captions as a kind of chaotic visual diary.
A Portuguese cultural platform called Gerador publishes a quarterly magazine where they feature images that promote the Portuguese identity and culture and I’ve been privileged to see some of my photos published there among many works from people I admire a lot, but I really don’t know what’s next for me. There’s always a temptation to go from mobile photography to a more “professional” approach but I don’t see myself carrying photo gear wherever I go. Who knows? You’ll just have to ride along and see.
Want to follow @atlaslisboa on Instagram? Click here. We may not be as great as these guys, but we’re doing our best.
