I went to Brazil at the beginning of 2023 but kept it secret so I could surprise my friends. Maisa is the cousin of one of the few people who knew I was coming, and she said she always wanted to do a photoshoot with me.

We talked in secret and decided to do an impromptu photoshoot in her city of Curitiba, which was a city I would be driving past on my way to Florianopolis. However, the weather forecast was terrible and we decided to meet in Florianopolis for a sunrise on the beach – which ended up being way better.

Maisa is from Ubanda. A syncretic Afro-Brazilian religion that blends traditional African religions with Roman Catholicism, Spiritism, and Indigenous American beliefs. And one of the goodness the religion believes is Yemanja, a water spirit. February second is Yemanja day and is a Brazilian celebration where people bring offerings to the water—this shows their gratitude for when a cycle comes to an end, while asking for good fortune for the new cycle ahead. So in the beginning of the shoot we took a second for Maisa to connect to the ocean – and of course I capture this gorgeous moment!

Maisa wanted to celebrate her body, its story and the journey that she still has to live. So let’s celebrate this amazing woman together! 

With love,
Marina Dams