Carnival Photoshoot in Santa Teresa, Rio: Samba Costume, Yellow Tram and Murals
Carnival is the loudest time of the year in Rio, and a samba costume deserves a location that can keep up. In this session we took a green, turquoise and yellow feather costume with a full headdress to the streets of Santa Teresa, where the old yellow tram, the tracks and the painted walls do half of the work.
The result is a gallery full of color, from wide street shots to close portraits of the beadwork and the feathers.
The photos in this gallery are from my session with Jazzmin.
The yellow tram and the street
Santa Teresa is the neighborhood of the yellow tram, and it matches a green and yellow costume perfectly. We started on the tracks, with the tram behind the feathers and the street opening up in front.
Wide shots show the whole costume, while closer ones with a hand on the tram show the headdress and the expression.
Murals and a colorful wall
Around the tracks there is a large mural in blue, yellow and orange tones. Standing in front of it, the wings of the costume spread out and the colors play with each other without hiding the person.
Low angles make the feathers look even bigger.
The green wall and the tram mural
Further along we used a bright green shop wall and a mural with a painted tram and Sugarloaf Mountain. Walking toward the camera on the street gave us the most movement and the happiest photos of the session.
Close portraits and feather details
To finish, we went close: the beaded headdress, the feathers framing the face and the fan of feathers in front of the body. These frames show the work behind a Carnival costume.
A smile behind the feathers is one of the strongest photos of the gallery.
Tips for a similar photoshoot
- Bring your own Carnival costume, or tell me the idea early. Big feathers and headdresses need space, so we choose the corners together.
- Santa Teresa is hilly and has tram tracks and cobblestones. Wear comfortable shoes for walking between spots.
- Early morning or the last hour of the day gives softer light and fewer people on the street.
- Check whether the tram is running on your date, because its operation can change. We can shoot at the tracks and the murals either way.
Locations in this session
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