Behind the Lens, a Passion for a Life of Happiness

Febriamy Hutapea

Up-and-coming fashion photographer Pino Gomes has managed to breakthrough internationally, yet he remains humble.

His work has appeared in Vogue Brazil, GQ, and a number of mass-market publications. He has also been commissioned by several brands, and was recently selected as the exclusive photographer for Gc, a Swiss watch brand.

When he was recently in Bali, the latest stop for a new Gc campaign, he was amazed by the beauty of the island and enjoyed his work there.

“This is one of my luxuries. I can enjoy it and have fun doing my work. I’m doing something that I love to do, and even get paid for it,” he said, laughing.

Gomes said he believed in dreams and destiny, and that belief has served him well. He said he never imagined that pursuing his passion would bring him international attention but he believed in himself. In a single year, Gomes traveled to 13 countries for work.

Originally from Brazil, the 38-year-old photographer moved to Zurich before settling in New York City with his wife.

Gomes flirted with a few different careers before finding his true calling. When he was a child, he loved to draw and thought that he would be a designer. Then he decided to become an actor.

He went to acting school and worked in the field until he was 24. Gomes said he stopped when he realized he was more interested in the makeup process — he was doing his own — than in acting.

He then used his interest in makeup to started another career, earning a contract with Globo TV in Brazil to do special effects and makeup for the stations’ telenovelas and movies.

While his new day job was makeup, Gomes was snapping away on the weekends.

When he was 28, Gomes decided that he needed yet another career change and choose to follow another one of his passions.

“Photography is something that never disappointed me. I always had work and it has given me a lot of opportunities,” he said.

Although he never formally studied photography, he took a few short courses and served as a photographer’s assistant.

“I don’t think we choose what we are going to do. I think it chooses us,” he said, explaining how he finally came to be a photographer.

“Because this is the gift I have received, I believe [in destiny and fate]. It all depends on your background, what you love inside your heart and what you feel,” he added.

Pino is now busy with Gc, working on a project to visualize the brand’s new emotional signature.

He is traveling to places around the world, including Indonesia, to capture the rising-star personalities that will introduce the newly launched “Smart Luxury” tagline of Gc.

Pino met Cindy Livingstone, president and chief executive of Sequel AG, the worldwide distributor of Guess and Gc Watches, after photographing her for a magazine story. Livingstone remembered Gomes and thought that he would be the right person for the project.

“It feels good if somebody trusts you and it’s also important because they believe in you,” he said.

Despite the global financial crisis’ harsh effect on artistic work, Gomes keeps a positive attitude.

“I don’t care whether I have money or not,” he said.

But he admits that, like everyone else, he needs money. The difference is he doesn’t obsess about it. Regardless of his circumstances, he keeps working. The result is a job, even if he has to work harder than before.

For young photographers who want to make it on the global stage, Gomes’ advice to them is to just keep following their dreams.

“Never worry about the future,” he said. “Just do what you love and do that as much as you can. Whatever passion you have inside, you need to pursue that. You need to follow your true gift and do it without fear.”