Born in Brazil in 1979 into a family of architects, Rafael started flirting with photography in architecture school, where he learned the basics at the photo lab and applied it in several architecture related school projects.
Once done with his architectural studies he was introduced to fashion photography by photographer Bob Wolfenson and took it on as a full time passion. Since then he’s worked in advertising and fashion in Brazil, eventually moving to Reykjavík, where the Icelandic twilight turned out to be a constant element in his work. After two years collaborating with Icelandic artists, advertising agencies and fashion designers, he moved his base to Berlin.
His work ranges from casual portraiture to staged situations, where the slightly unreal light setup creates frozen moments.