Today we’d like to introduce you to Waldinei Lafaiete.
When photographer, Waldinei “Wally” Lafaiete snaps an image, it is more than just capturing a moment.
He likens photography to conceptual art, enhanced by his subjects’ beauty and symmetry, simplicity, and colors. Through his lenses, he freezes time in the visual world his imagination inhabits. Living in San Antonio since 2009, the city’s cultural and ethnic diversity stimulates his South American soul.
Lafaiete’s earliest memories began with the multi-faceted atmosphere, rhythms and textures of his native São Paulo in Brazil. The constant movement of over 20 million residents, samba’s enticing pulse and the vibrancy of the annual Carnaval festivities drew him to the arts.
Resourcefulness also began at a young age. Limited funds never stagnated his initial creativity. He learned flexibility, rather than focusing on exacting techniques which freed him to trust his instincts. Decades later, those traits still influence Lafaiete’s artistic photography.
Carnaval-style props of masks, feathers along with shiny and sparkling materials are often utilized in shoots. Beyond vivid accessories, Lafaiete merges his intuition and graphic design background with digital manipulations to achieve the looks he wants.
Lafaiete appreciates working with undiscovered talent. Scanning social media he often finds new faces for his projects. To capture a bride, a corporate executive or a professional model at their best requires putting them in an optimal frame of mind for the photo session. Lafaiete, who also has a degree in Psychology, first gains any subject’s trust by suggesting they play a character on an audition. The more they embody the character, the more relaxed they become, and the resulting tranquility produces more natural facial expressions. If that fails, joke telling – even bad ones – often bring the same results.
Wally is a San Antonio photographer and Editor-in-Chief of Maestro Magazine. Wally has photographed fashion shows, models, socialites, influencers, artists and TV personalities. His images have graced covers of magazines and his work has also been seen in international periodicals. Wally loves traveling and he has captured through his lens people and landscapes in more than 30 countries! He is constantly amazed to find beautiful photography settings from humble villages to palaces.
With his brand well recognized, Mr. Lafaiete continues with coverage of major San Antonio social events but is slowly withdrawing from de rigueur event coverage to pursue his passion of artistic studio photography allowing him to elevate his craft.
In his first photography exhibition “An Insight Into the Art of Capturing Beauty Through Photography” at Art Legacy Gallery, Wally shared his insight into what captures his attention and his craving for beauty, especially when he travels abroad. Recently on location in France, Mr. Lafaiete was inspired by the stunning photographic opportunities in art and fashion. With the iconic backdrop of Paris’ Eiffel Tower, he was able to combine the talents of both a fashionista and an artist to create stunning images for several publications. His tour of the French countryside with its beautiful vistas and quaint architecture led to an abundance of photos being posted on Facebook, all with a characteristic degree of quality.
Lafaiete’s gratefulness for the support and encouragement his dreams received has manifested into helping others accomplish their own realities – one photograph at a time.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Wally had to restart his whole life and reinvent himself after moving from Brazil to California in 1999. He had to return to college and get a degree in Graphic Design and Psychology while having a full-time corporate job for seven years.
Please tell us about Lafaiete Creative Productions.
Wally has long been associated with photographing well-heeled San Antonio socialites, artists, models, television personalities and other notable individuals. Most characteristic of Wally is his ability to connect individuals into a creative network which is culminating into a community of talent that is quite inspirational. In this manner, he has been able to discover and showcase an impressive pool of talent and expertise within various fields. His images of these and other individuals have been featured within the pages of international periodicals and have graced multiple covers of a local publication in San Antonio. His ability to relay an individual’s unique beauty and character is unrivaled.
As the owner of Lafaiete Creative Productions and being the Editor-in-Chief of Maestro Magazine, Wally has the connections to catapult someone’s career to the next level as attested by several success stories of models and aspiring artists who first worked with his business.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have concentrated more on acquiring knowledge not financial success or peer recognition.
Pricing:
- Photo sessions starting at $150
Contact Info:
- Address: 1811 South Laredo Street, San Antonio, TX inside of Maestro Entrepreneur Center
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/waldinei
- Phone: 210 827 8386
- Email: waldinei@hotmail.com
Image Credit:
Carlos Ibarra for profile picture
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
