The images of Madrid-based photographer Thais Varela reveal a world saturated with vivid color and equally vivid imagination, whether finding the mystery in lilies lit by colored lights or the wonder in European architecture and its repetitious shapes. “My approach to photography is strongly linked to color,” she says. “Since I started working with analog cameras, I have become more conscious of my approach to color composition. I’m a very emotional photographer and act impulsively, capturing what catches my attention.” A self-taught photographer, Varela began her career and dedicated herself to photography full time at the age of 30, learning from online classes, practice and her fellow artists. She started working with the stock photography cooperative Stocksy, which helped her refine her talents to become a professional multidisciplinary photographer. Now, she uses her camera to explore new worlds through her lens, ones that remain undiscovered but all around us in our everyday lives “through my ability to transform my perception and emotions through light and color,” as she says. “Curiosity is what drives me to continue to grow and develop in this beautiful profession. I hope to inspire others to experiment and explore with their own eyes as well as to believe in their ability to transform their vision and emotions through photography.”
This Porto, Portugal–based design firm’s protean output embodies the philosophical design approach of its cofounders.