Director of Photography
Cinematographer
based in Lisbon, working across Portugal, Europe and worldwide
How many times have your eyes sparkled with delight?
Cinematography with a film-first approach
Cinematography is how a story dresses itself — through colour, colour palettes, tone, shape, texture, light and movement. As with clothing, it is not only about individual colours, but about how they are combined: harmonious or contrasting palettes, repeated patterns, smooth or textured surfaces, and sometimes the deliberate reduction or absence of colour. These choices are never purely decorative. They influence what we notice, how a scene feels, and ultimately how a story or message reaches the person watching it.
A visual language also determines what is allowed to dominate the frame and what is deliberately held back. Light, colour, contrast, composition and shape can guide the eye naturally towards a face, object or action without making that emphasis feel artificial. They can create separation and depth, or flatten space so that a room feels tighter, more intimate or more oppressive. The same elements can create harmony, calm, unease or tension before a single word is spoken.
The choice of camera, image-capture format, lenses and filtration is part of that same visual language. A digital cinema camera may be the right tool for one project, while another may benefit from the imperfections of analogue video or motion-picture film, the immediacy of a mobile phone, the physical proximity of an action camera, or even the detached, observational perspective of a surveillance camera. The technically most advanced camera is not automatically the best choice. The strongest image is the one that complements the story — whether that means high dynamic range and controlled detail, softness and halation, visible grain, electronic noise, distortion, lower resolution or an intentionally imperfect image.
Lens choice can be just as expressive. High-end commercials, luxury brands and polished corporate productions may call for highly corrected modern cinema lenses that deliver a clean, precise image with minimal optical artefacts, controlled contrast and consistent rendering across a lens set. For more cinematic looks and filmic narratives, anamorphic lenses can introduce a wider spatial feel, distinctive flare behaviour, characteristic bokeh and a more expressive relationship between subject and background. Music videos, documentaries and period-inspired work may instead benefit from vintage photographic lenses chosen precisely because they are less perfect: lower contrast, edge softness, blooming highlights, distinctive flares, chromatic aberrations and other optical irregularities can make an image feel more organic, tactile or tied to a particular era. In cinematography, an optical imperfection can be a deliberate creative decision rather than a defect to be corrected.
A Director of Photography does not only shape the image through cameras, lenses and lighting; the physical atmosphere of the space can also become part of the cinematography. Haze, fog, smoke and other atmospheric effects can add density to the air, reveal beams of light, separate layers within the frame and give a scene greater depth and volume. Used subtly, they can soften a clean environment or make light feel more tangible; used more strongly, they can obscure parts of the frame, create mystery, tension or intimacy, and control what the audience sees clearly and what remains only suggested. These choices are planned together with lighting, composition and production design so that the environment itself helps tell the story.
For me, this work begins in pre-production and continues through filming into post-production. Location, wardrobe, production design, camera and lens choice, filtration, lighting strategy, movement, exposure and colour are considered as parts of the same visual system. A documentary, fiction film or music video may benefit from grain, texture and controlled imperfection to feel more organic, while a corporate film or advertisement may call for a cleaner, more polished image. Neither is a fixed formula: the finish should grow from the story, audience and visual intention. As a member of the AIP (Associação de Imagem Portuguesa), I work across documentary, fiction, music videos, commercial, corporate and branded productions with the same principle: the image should serve the story rather than exist simply for decoration.
Services & Day Rates
Services & Day Rates
From solo shoots to full crews. As a Director of Photography (DoP/DP) and Cinematographer in Portugal, I bring cinema-grade camera and lighting craft to every production, working with experienced local and international crews or, depending on scope, as a high-end solo operator.
Each production is quoted according to its specific creative and technical requirements. Rates depend on the scope of the shoot, the camera package, lenses, lighting, grip and additional equipment required to shape and control the image and environment, as well as the preparation, testing and crew needed before and during production. Full-day, half-day and multi-day arrangements are available, whether in Portugal or for international projects.
For many cinematography assignments, a technical recce or location visit before the filming day is recommended whenever possible and practical. Seeing the location in advance makes it possible to assess natural and practical light, available space, camera positions, power, access, sound and the general environment, and to identify any lighting, grip or logistical requirements before the crew arrives. This preparation helps the filming day run more efficiently and allows the visual approach to be planned around the real conditions of the location rather than assumptions.
Dedicated cinematography / DoP work is generally quoted above straightforward videography coverage. The difference reflects the additional visual planning and responsibility involved — including camera and lens strategy, lighting design, exposure, light control, visual continuity, technical preparation and, on larger productions, coordination with camera, lighting and other departments.
A standard cinematography day is normally planned around a 10-hour production window, including equipment setup and breakdown and a 1-hour meal break. These timings can be adapted when agreed in advance. Night work, travel, unusual schedules, extended days and other production-specific requirements are discussed and quoted case by case.
Bookings normally require a 50% advance payment to confirm and reserve the production dates, with the remaining balance handled according to the terms agreed for the individual project.
To request day rates or a tailored quote in € or $, please use the contact form. Each project is budgeted around its actual creative and production requirements rather than a fixed package.
Colour Workflow & Look Development
Colour Workflow & Look Development
I shoot with the grade in mind — shaping light, contrast and colour on set so the final image holds up in post. When needed, I handle colour correction and look development, or supervise grading with a dedicated colourist, to ensure natural skin tones, clean highlights and a cohesive visual language across the film.
This can include camera tests, LUT strategy and consistent matching across scenes and setups — always aligned with the cinematography intent.
The true measure of a DoP/Cinematographer is execution: sculpting light, shaping rhythm and delivering a coherent visual language that serves the story. The examples below show different approaches to light, movement, colour, natural environments and controlled production settings.
Selected Cinematography Work
Watch some examples:
RAMMA — O INFERNO ARDE EM MIM · MUSIC VIDEO
Explore the cinematography processNight cinematography, lighting design, haze, filtration, practical light and camera movement.
RAMMA — O Inferno Arde em Mim was photographed entirely at night, using darkness as a creative choice and the palace as a living character. The visual approach balances practical flame with controlled, sculpted light — keeping the atmosphere intimate while still holding detail in deep shadows and textured architecture.
To shape large, dark spaces like the wine cellar and chapel — and exterior garden sequences at night — I built a flexible lighting approach around RGBWW sources and modifiers: a strong key that could be softened through diffusion and softboxes, or focused through a fresnel when the scene needed reach and contrast. For precision, narrow beams and cut light were created with a spotlight/snoot, allowing tight control of direction and radius, plus texture through gobos and subtle colour shifts with gels. Small portable LED units were essential for hidden placements in tight areas (including between wine barrels), and haze helped the light breathe, soften edges, and give depth to the frame. On camera, diffusion (mist) filters were used to gently lift highlights, bloom practicals, and keep the image organic. Real candles and battery-powered practicals were used as motivated sources, with some scenes captured handheld for immediacy and others on a gimbal for a controlled, drifting movement. Shot in log at night, the priority was always natural balance — keeping the performer readable while preserving the mystery of the darkest spaces.
FILM FRAMES
SIKAT SUBAR · FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
Explore the cinematography processDocumentary cinematography, vintage lenses, high-frame-rate action, natural light and field workflow.
Sikat Subar is an observational documentary with cinematic ambition — real light, real emotion, and the camera as a quiet presence. Shot in a hot, humid tropical climate under constantly shifting conditions (hard sun, heavy cloud cover, lush open landscapes and shaded interiors), the image keeps searching for texture: skin, dust, smoke, shimmer and contrast as a visual language. In towns, the air often came pre-graded — burn smoke, motorbike exhaust and unpaved-road dust — set against saturated nature, rich colour and constant movement, and the stark contrast of polluted, degraded spaces.
The film was recorded externally via SDI on an Atomos Shogun Inferno in ProRes 422 — a strategic choice for a documentary workflow that ultimately generated over 100 hours of footage. In Timor-Leste, where storage logistics and drive costs can quickly become a real constraint, ProRes 422 was the most balanced option: robust image quality and grading flexibility, without the heavy data footprint of higher-bitrate formats. The footage was acquired in 4K DCI and 2K DCI, keeping a true cinema frame while staying agile in the field.
Vintage manual primes and zooms were chosen for character — gentle falloff, softness and occasional flares that let highlights bloom and the world feel organic and lived-in. Shot on APS-C with a focal reducer, the lenses opened up both visually and practically: a wider, more immersive frame and a small but meaningful exposure advantage in difficult light.
In the cockfighting sequences, the challenge was photographing fast action at 120–240fps in extremely limited light — deep shade, bodies packed tight, trees overhead and corrugated tin roofs cutting most of the sun. That constraint became the look: side light slipping through narrow gaps turned dust into dramatic “god rays,” transforming chaos into choreography. In darker locations — including caves with no natural light — small portable LED units shaped the scene while keeping the film grounded and documentary-true.
FILM FRAMES
DAWID TOMASZEWSKI — FANTASTIC VOYAGE · FASHION FILM
Explore the cinematography processLocation scouting, natural and practical light, slow motion, high ISO and colour consistency.
Dawid Tomaszewski — “Fantastic Voyage” is a fashion film shot across a single day and night in Lisbon, built on a strong pre-production process. I did extensive location scouting and proposed a range of settings to Dawid so each look could be paired with the right architecture, colour palette, and atmosphere — letting wardrobe and place speak the same visual language.
Day scenes leaned on natural light and clean composition, while the night work embraced existing practicals — street lamps, shopfronts, reflections and mixed urban colour. Portable LED sources and diffusion were used selectively to shape faces, control contrast, and keep movement polished without losing the authenticity of the locations.
The film was captured in 4K DCI at 50fps to create elegant slow motion in a 25fps finish. That choice brought its own technical challenge at night: the city’s lighting is a patchwork of different fixture types and refresh rates, and at higher frame rates any inconsistency can reveal flicker. On set, we constantly adjusted shutter, exposure and positioning to keep the image stable while still holding the pace and fluidity that slow motion demands.
I chose a Sony camera system for its ability to hold a clean image at very high ISO, which was crucial for night exteriors. Fast primes and zooms were paired with a gimbal for fluid fashion-forward movement and a sense of momentum through the city. In several situations, ND filtration was used even at night to stay within the camera’s optimal native ISO range and maintain controlled exposure and highlight roll-off.
Colour work was carefully balanced to respect the original fabric tones and keep skin natural, while navigating mixed lighting temperatures across different streets and interiors. The result is vibrant but grounded — stylized fashion imagery that still feels connected to real street light.
FILM FRAMES
KAROLINE KAMINSKI — PEOPLE · MUSIC VIDEO
Explore the cinematography processTheatre lighting, haze, diffusion, lens choice and low-light image strategy.
Karoline Kaminski — People was shot inside a theatre with a minimalist, graphic approach — using a deep black stage as an “infinite” background where the performer is isolated through separation, rim light, and controlled haze. A tungsten projector became the main key for the singer, taking advantage of its output and warm colour to keep skin tones natural and cinematic.
Opposing that warmth, daylight-balanced LED sources were placed behind the performer and deeper on stage to create a cooler, blue-leaning backlight and crisp edge definition. With the background kept intentionally dark, small LEDs on the floor and a few elevated points provided precise accents — enough to suggest depth and space while maintaining the illusion of a “bottomless” stage.
A haze machine gave density to the air so light could breathe, making beams and gradients visible and helping the image feel dimensional rather than flat. Strong diffusion and mist filters were used to let highlights bloom in a controlled way — especially on the vintage metal microphone, piano reflections, and the brightest areas of wardrobe and hair — adding softness and glow without losing shape.
Lens choices ranged from wide angles to telephoto for a mix of theatrical scale and intimate portrait framing, with fast lenses supporting the low-light environment. In this case, the camera was kept on a standard picture profile (not log) to protect the shadows from noise while maintaining clean contrast and a controlled, stage-like look.
FILM FRAMES
ALGARVE WELLNESS - HOLISTIC RETREAT · PROMOTIONAL FILM
Explore the cinematography processNatural light, weather continuity, drone cinematography, interview lighting and colour.
Algarve Wellness was shot primarily in log with a natural-light approach, timing the exterior work for moments when the sun was high to keep shadows minimal and the architecture clean. The visual goal was to preserve the Algarve palette at its most vibrant — turquoise-green ocean, warm coastal rock, deep blue sky, lush gardens and the saturated blues of the pool.
A major challenge came from constantly shifting cloud cover: a morning of overcast conditions followed by fast-moving clouds that repeatedly softened and cut the direct sun. This was especially demanding for drone work, where consistency is harder to control — so the aerial sequences were largely captured in “openings” of clear sky, with the grade carefully balancing shots where clouds partially covered the sun to maintain continuity and colour depth.
The interview was filmed as a two-camera setup in log (wide + telephoto), using COB lighting and LED panels through diffusion to shape a soft, flattering key while keeping enough separation and detail in the space. Exposure was managed to hold information in the bright window highlights without letting the interiors collapse — allowing a natural contrast between warm practicals inside and cooler daylight outside, so exterior blues and garden greens stayed alive while the interior remained inviting and premium.
FILM FRAMES
Explore my Cinematography Portfolio
Available for commissioned visual work spanning music videos, fashion films, branded and promotional content, corporate and institutional productions, and documentary & narrative film projects. Based in Lisbon and available for projects across Portugal, Europe and worldwide, I provide high-end cinematography and film production services tailored to your creative vision, whether the project is artistic, commercial, or documentary in nature.
- Films & Documentary Cinematography
- Music Video Cinematography
- Commercial / Advertising Cinematography
- Corporate & Branded Film Cinematography
- Client Reviews
- About (Director of Photography)
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Discuss Your VisionFilmmaker, Producer, Director & Cinematographer (DoP) / Videographer
Based in Lisbon · Available for projects across Portugal, Europe and worldwide.