I entered in the surfing world community in 2008 in Rosa Beach, Imbituba (SC) in a "Seletiva Petrobras de Surf Masculino" when the speaker of the event looked at me and said -"Welcome to surfing community!!!".
It was my first contact with surf competitions, surfers, and surfboards, and so on...
I had a Nokia 6225i with 640x480 resolution and was taking some photos and filming (25 seconds!!!), when I saw a tall man and I said:
You really have a nice camera with canon and everything...I had no idea who was that photographer..
He said to me:" If you like this, go ahead, take your time..."
That nice tall man was Mr. Sebastian Rojas, one of the best surfing photografers in the world.
I will never forget his words.
Messias Felix, a great surfer from Ceará, won this event.
I have no much resources by the way, but I really love my job, with images, colors, nature, and so on...
So in 2008 October I went to my first WCT -World Championship Tour- on the Praia da Vila, Imbituba, SC by Hang Loose. Bede Durbidge(AUS)nice and strong surfer won this competition over Jeremy Flores(FRA).
I from the southern Brazil, Porto Alegre(RS), so in 2009 I returned to Garopaba, Santa Catarina. I used to stay in an small apartment close to Mormaii store where I always was so welcome by everybody.
Kelly Slater(USA), the great surfing champion (11x) defeated Adriano de Souza(BRA)at tought final in Praia da Vila, exactly in my birthday, July 3rd...This day I bought the event cap, that I still use in all surfing events.
In 2010 I returned again to Garopaba, Santa Catarina, by bus and stayed at same place.. I used to catch the first bus in the morning to Imbituba...
This WCT was Billabong Pro Santa Catarina and unfortunatelly I missed to meet the great surfing champion Andy Irons that died this year...
Jadson Andre(BRA)defeated Kelly Slater(USA) at a great final at Vila...My first photo at this event was exactly of Jadson Andre(BRA)and I was at Billabong front page with some guys on the beach with Jadson Andre what let me so happy.
In 2011 the WCT came to Rio - Barra da Tijuca - Posto 4 and Arpoador.
Adriano de Souza(BRA)won this event with the final at Arpoador, over Taj Burrow(AUS)one of the best surfers in the world, always in the top.
My first photo was of Adriano de Souza, that always attended me very well.
In 2012 I came again to Rio de Janeiro and John John Florence(HAW) won this event over Joel Parkinson(AUS), John John Florence(HAW)with a fan was my first photo in Barra da Tijuca, Postinho.
In 2013, year that I took two pictures of RICARDINHO DOS SANTOS, when he was entering the water at heat 3 of Round 1. Let's remind about!
2013 BILLABONG RIO PRO
May 8th 2013
Waiting Period Event is Waves Weather Wind
Day 1 of 12 Lay Day 3-5 feet Sunny Strong Onshore
May 9th 2013
Waiting Period Event is Waves Weather Wind
Day 2 of 12 On 3-4 feet Open Skies Light
Trials:
Ricardo dos Santos(BRA) 13.33
Simão Romão (BRA) 10.24
Jeronimo Vargas(BRA) 7.80
William Cardoso(BRA) 6.90
ROUND 1
heat
3.Sebastian Zietz(HAW)15.66 x Ricardo dos Santos(BRA) 8.93 x Taj Burrow(AUS) 8.67
May 17th 2013
Waiting Period Event is Waves Weather Wind
Day 10 of 12 on 3-5 feet stormy strong
ROUND 2
heat
4.Jeremy Flores(FRA) 11.50 x 7.47 Ricardo dos Santos(BRA)
The 2013 WCT, Jordy Smith defeated Adriando de Souza(BRA) at Postinho da Barra da Tijuca.
Last year I came again to Rio de Janeiro in May to my seventh WCT, and was the fastest I have had.
The 2014 WCT, Michel Bourez(PYF) defeated Kolone Andino(USA)who surfed very well too.
At the end of 2014 Gabriel Medina(BRA) was the Brazil's first surfing world champion, what was a great moment for surfing community in Brazil, at this moment, when the competition was in the 11th stop in Pipeline Hawaii, I decided to move to Rio de Janeiro, to be closer of surfing, beaches, and the upcoming WCT in May, and I hope to go to Hawaii, this year...
But unfortunatelly, this 2015 beginning on January 20th was a sad, so sad day for all surfing community in the world...
RICARDO DOS SANTOS(BRA)24, was shot dead in front of his house in Guarda do Embaú,SC(close to Pinheira, Garopaba)by an off-duty police officer.
I will not comment about this violence that unfortunatelly happens in our country, but my heart and eyes can't hide what I feeling about...
I'll try to make this simple tribute to RICARDINHO dos Santos, who I had a great, great pleasure to take some fotos of him in 2013, that I will keep for sure in deep of my soul...
I do everything at my blog and upcoming site by myself, but I do with love and this kind of things COULD NOT HAPPEN anyway..
I hope to continue to do my job, buy a new camera, stay here in Rio de Janeiro...
This is a simple video, but was my best...
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