I left my photography studio in Berlin to plant trees in southern Portugal. I ended up living in a community, and some of them changed the course of my life.
You understand your fears, those of others, you become compassionate, you feel empathy, anger, joy, and you become a little more human. It is an honest job, strength, and honor. Overall it was indeed very interesting and moving in many ways. Everyone from our crew was searching for something back then, going through the spiritual or psychological path, no roots, rather dreams than plans, genuine sadness about how to deal with society. Maybe it was just a temporary constellation.
I had the privilege of capturing this moment that has generated a great change in me. If you sweat together for weeks hand by hand trying to make something out of it, sometimes with pure brutality and anger, stuff happens between people, right?. You have to be brave, have courage, waterproof jacket, good boots, take care of your hands, eat well, be patient, take care of the other planters, you are as strong as your team. This is the wisdom you gather from the work on the land. Gone West, began with one planter. We all could make a change because after all, trees are worth much more than their weight in wood. I believe tree planting is the job of the future. A hands-on solution for the social and environmental challenges we are facing.
About Camila Berrio
I am a Colombian photographer based in Berlin, working as a freelance photographer. Focusing on immersive documentary photography, I make use of my fixation and skill in composition, as well as my human-oriented interaction with subjects, to make imagery and discuss self-definition in the scopes of gender, ecology, and socio-historical relationships.
My commercial trajectory includes photojournalism and event photography, as well as fashion and portrait series. During my pre-graduate studies in photography at the University of Applied Sciences Europe in Berlin, I have focused on the visual study and documentation of the subjects most relevant to me personally. I am heavily eager to nurturing my passion for all fields of creativity, particularly focusing on immersive documentary photography, I make use of my fixation and skill composition, as well as my human-oriented interaction with subjects, to make imagery and discuss self-definition in the scopes of gender, ecology, and socio-historical relationships.
Apart from my work in the field of documentary photography, I am currently occupied as a freelance photographer, doing private commissions for clients such as Yinkana Jewelry, Omar Massa, Perotá Chingó, Sicilian Spirit, among others. [Official Website]
