A Muse for Fashion
Diana Neto is a Photographer and Art Director based in Lisbon. She graduated from Lisbon Theater & Film School and since then has been working in several creative fields, from Photography, Art Direction, Advertisement and Fashion. The connection between humans and Nature is the essence of her work and is evident throughout her portfolio; the perfect marriage of environment, light and fashion.
We got in touch with Diana to gain further insight about her portfolio. Here's what she had to say:
Fabrik: Hi Diana, we’re over the moon to have you as a Fabrik Hero! To begin, we'd love for you to share a bit more about yourself in your own words?
Diana Neto: "My name is Diana but most my friends call me Di. I’m 25 years old and I’m currently based in Lisbon, in beautiful Portugal. I love my country and I’ve lived here most my life, even though I’ve also travelled quite a bit. I enjoy the simple things in life, like going for a walk in nature, listening to music, dancing and of course, taking pictures. The first camera I ever owned was my dad’s. He loved photography and I guess he passed that on to me."
Fabrik: You mention you have a particular interest in the connection between nature and humans. How do you encapsulate the essence of this within your work?
Diana Neto: "Nature is where I heal. Whenever I’m feeling sad, unmotivated or anxious, a walk in the forest or a dip in the ocean brings my soul back to a good place. I believe most humans feel this way, and that’s because Nature is so pure and powerful.
In my work as a photographer, I try to incorporate different elements, the sea, the sun, flowers, rocks, anything really. If I go on a nature walk and find a beautiful flower, I pick it up and use it on some portraits later. During a shooting, if I spot an interesting rock or branch, I incorporate the entire frame around it. The sense of stillness and connection to nature just come naturally to me because it’s part of who I am."
Fabrik: During your career, you’ve worked within several creative fields, from Photography, Art Direction, Advertisement and Fashion. How do you feel each of these fields have shaped and defined the creator that you are today?
Diana Neto: "I’ve been working as a fashion model before I started my career as a photographer. This helped me to become the artist that I am today, because I’ve been watching others work for so many years and picked up a lot of tips.
After I finished college, I was working in Art Direction for commercials and this experience made me more aware of every element within the frame, color palettes, etc. As a creator I’m always interested in trying new ways of self-expression because that allows me to grow and incorporate more elements into my work. I like to keep an open mind and not restrict myself."
"As a creator I’m always interested in trying new ways of self-expression because that allows me to grow and incorporate more elements into my work. I like to keep an open mind and not restrict myself"
Fabrik: Is there a particular milestone within your career as a photographer that you feel most proud of?
Diana Neto: "Last year I got the chance to shoot an editorial for a really cool Portuguese Art Magazine, called Umbigo. We had a lot of models, the location was breathtaking and the whole team was lovely. In general, I’m proud of every project I make, even the ones I don’t particularly love, because they all represent me and my journey as a photographer."
Fabrik: Would you like to offer a little bit more insight on the creative process and what gets you inspired before shooting a project?
Diana Neto: "Inspiration comes unexpectedly, it’s a combination of every visual reference I have in my head. Sometimes I have a particular vision in my mind - the set, the model, the pose - and I try to bring the vision to life. Sometimes I just go to a shooting completely mind free and see what happens. It really depends. It’s important to listen to your gut and not try to copy others."
Fabrik: What are your plans for the future? Can you give us insight on any projects that you’re currently working on?
Diana Neto: "I have a lot of projects that I’m looking forward to, but unfortunately, due to the current pandemic and the chaotic state of the world, they have to be postponed. So I’m currently trying to unlock new doors and try new things with my pictures, so I can be better prepared when these opportunities arrive.
Fabrik: Final question. What do you like most about Fabrik? What's your favourite feature?
Diana Neto: "Your platform is so easy to work with. I personally enjoy the clean design and being able to manage my content quite quickly. Also the fact that you take interest in the creatives that use Fabrik to showcase their work is very welcoming, creates a sense of community and support."
Diana uses Calico, a magazine format theme with unique homepage layouts and several project layout options geared towards presenting longer-form projects and blog posts. Creatives with lots of projects will appreciate Calico’s customisation options.
