Instagramのインスタグラム(instagram) - 5月17日 03時25分

Growing up, São Paulo photographer and visual artist Flavio Samelo (@flaviosamelo) was different from most kids in Brazil. “I never liked soccer, or any group activities where everyone seemed to think alike,” he says. Instead, he was drawn to more individual activities like skateboarding. Despite finding a sense of belonging in the skating community, Flavio discovered early on his friends were much better skaters than he was. “It was a little bit embarrassing,” he says. “I remember one day my friend Kamau suggested I take photos of us skateboarding. That was back in 1992, and until this day that’s basically what I do – photograph my friends while they skate.” For Flavio, who’s 39, skateboarding photography is not just his profession, it’s heavily influenced his perspective on his hometown, which he shares through photographs and geometric visual art. “As I would walk through the streets to take photos, I started to notice things like graffiti, pichação and the brutal socioeconomic differences,” he says.

When it comes to his art, Flavio hasn’t lost the same self-criticism that once depreciated his skateboarding skills. “I don’t know how to photograph as I’d like, I don’t know how to paint or film. What I do care about though, is bringing the vision in my head to life, somehow, in whatever way possible. For me, an artist’s work is an extension of his or her life. My work is totally an extension of what I see and the places I go.” Photo by @flaviosamelo

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