Kimberly Daniella Katrine Romano Duarte, known as Photogracria, is a 28-year-old photographer from Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro. Daughter of a housekeeper and a technician who repairs hair clippers, she began her journey in photography in 2018, using a borrowed Galaxy J2 phone. "The best camera is the one you have," she recalls, citing a friend who encouraged her at the beginning.
Through YouTube tutorials and courses, Kimberly learned the craft self-taught. Today, she uses a Pentax 67 analog camera. "It's a hassle to develop, but I love it," she says. Her work led her to secure partnerships with global brands like Nike and participate in international exhibitions in France and the United States.
Kimberly doesn't seek traditional landscapes in her work. She has always photographed within Rocinha's alleyways, documenting her reality as if she were putting together a family album. "This has become my identity," she emphasizes. She claims the favela as landscape and highlights the importance of showing the beauty of her territory.
"When my territory is seen as beauty, I feel like I've won," concludes the photographer, transforming the way the community where she grew up is viewed into a personal and artistic matter.
