#SWPA showcase: Latin American photographers step into the spotlight

Every Wednesday we're showcasing images or series that have been recognised in the Professional, Open, Student or Youth 2020 competitions from one particular region. For this week we celebrate images submitted by photographers based in Latin America. Do you notice particular trends in genre, style or point of view by photographers from this part of the world? 

Don't forget! The World Photography Organisation and Sony will be announcing the Latin America Professional Award – a new prize to celebrate the dynamic and inspiring photographic work currently created in Latin America – in the foreseeable future. Chosen from the 2020 Professional competition, the winning and shortlisted series will go on show in Argentina. With thousands of people across the planet viewing the successful projects, the hope is for these photographers to benefit form publishing deals, gallery representation and international coverage. We will be updating our announcement page here, with a date soon.

As a graphic designer, Jose is drawn to bold colours and shapes when looking through the viewfinder. Formalism I is a collection of artful images Jose created across a three year period during his walks around the streets of Argentina's most beautiful cities. With close cropping and a painterly quality, the photographs become more like visual puzzles for us to enjoy and decipher. The series is also a fine example of his committed photographic practice. Driven to create the best image possible, Jose would do an initial recce, taking reference shots of what subject caught his eye. He would then return when the light was right to capture an image. He would repeat this process, returning to the location and honing his technique until he created an image he felt was right. 

Agony of Love is a photo series about the last moments two lovers, or a married couple, live in their home. These people still love each other, but they are suffering a crisis caused by years of living together. 

The series features several cinematic compositions, each one composed to create a narrative experience. The viewer is introduced to a couple on the verge of separation. It’s a close-up, intimate portrait where the characters face a major life obstacle. Looking at lonliness with a hyper-real aesthetic, Adrian's main influences are Edward Hopper and Gregory Crewdson.