Wam Ornelas

“I really like to notice how the light interacts with objects, the human body, and especially the sea”

Intercru: Where are you from?

Wam: I am from a city called Montes Claros in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Where do you live and work now?

I currently live in Florianópolis, a beautiful island in the state of Santa Catarina.

How did you get started in photography? What was the first camera you ever had?

I started photographing as a hobby. At first, I started taking photos with my phone, and it is something I still do to this day.

I have never thought about being a photographer until I got to university, where I studied game design. During an internship, I got to learn a lot about photography by working in a studio. A while later I bought my first camera, a Nikon D7000.

What is your favorite part about photography?

Being able to work with something I love. Photography has allowed me to do so because through it I can visit new places and create connections with new people.

What do you do to find creative inspiration?

I really like to notice how the light interacts with objects, the human body, and especially the sea. I find it very interesting to notice how the light affects and changes colors. I also get inspired from places I visit and people I meet. Something that also inspires me to go out and photograph is seeing other artists’ work.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I do not know if it is the best advice I received but it is the advice that most affected me: every photographer is going to go through a very difficult time before he can get up.

Wam Ornelas is a Florianópolis-based lifestyle photographer. To see more of his photography, you can check out his website ornelaswam.com or follow his work on Instagram @ornelaswam.