Today we’d like to introduce you to Lídia.
Hi Lídia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
1994… Not so long ago… But it´s a historic time. Brazil was getting its fourth global title in Cup and I was achieving a magic world, a world full of opportunities. I was born in a simple family, with no financial resources. But biggest legacy my parents gave me was God´s love. I am thankful for what they passed me; values and principles so valuable that I still carry with me.
I was 12 when I noticed my passion for photography and through it I found a true vocation. People say there are two moments in one´s birth; the first one is birth itself and second one is moment one realizes why he came to the world. I don´t believe I came to the world to be just one more photographer or enterpreneur, but rather to use photography on behalf of people.
Every Sunday morning my parents used to take me to church. Sunday School Professor was married to the photographer Mr. Alcino Auaide. One day I went to their home after church to play with their daughters and I saw they had a photographic studio in front of their home. That moment I confess I lost interest in playing; I just wanted to know more about photography. I remember this story like it was today. That´s how starts my photography journey. For this, I lived best years of my youth. I learned how to reveal photos and attend clients. After a few years, my parents moved to São Paulo.
In new city I befriended photographer Mr. Nelson Matsunaga, pioneer in digital photography in Cosmópolis. I put myself at his disposal if he needed a photography assistant. That time he said there was no vacancy, but advised me to never stop dreaming. Afterwards my parents got divorced and that was a hard time for me. I was 20 years old then and was carrying inside me passion for photography, but everything seemed distant facing suffering we all were getting through that moment.
I met my prince charming and we got married by december, 2005. Enilson brought with him principles and values on which I was raised as well, so it was quite easy loving and respecting him. He has supported me 100% on photography. I thank God for his life.
One day someone phoned me asking if I was photographer. I replied positively, thinking it was a photographer wanting to hire me. Person asked if I could photograph a 15-year-old ball that night, and I almost had an stroke, since I didn´t even have a cam. I promised I would call back in 20 minutes, longing for musing over that before replying anything. After all, that was my big opportunity. Then I recalled Nelson Matsunaga, phoned him right away, telling what had happened. He did something I will never forget; he lent me a cam. That day I found out God sends angels in shape of men and for sure Nelson was my angel that moment.
I attended ball with heart full of joy, since I was back into the photographic world. Afterwards, Mr. Nelson Matsunaga encouraged Enilson to buy a cam and invest in my idea to open a Company.
We decided to open a photographic studio in Paulínia. Paulínia city is located between São Paulo and Campinas; great business potencies, and it´s known as a city with a high acquisitive power, since it counts on industrial and cinematographic centers. I conducted a field survey to figure out how photographers in Paulínia used to attend their clients, including their strong and weak points. Then I realized it was lacking modernity in photographic binding, photo editing, equipment, photographic direction, etc. However, strong points of them were their permanence there for many years, getting reliability and trust of population.
In order to enchant the new city, I needed to develop new relations, so I invested in a merchandising in outdoor in main avenue of city. That time it was a high investment, demanding a huge effort from me. So much so that we had to get a personal loan and bet on it. And we hit the jackpot!! Successful, fruits of this outdoor carried me right away to professional success in Paulínia.
After only one year living in Paulínia, we sold our home to buy a commercial space in a new corporate enterprise.
I was chasing after an audience more demanding and needed an unique space, prepared with affection, startings from details as a simple coffee, new equipment, trained team, well, a company expressing all my care towards client without losing essence.
I believe that was a quite risky step that time, scaring our families. In spite of the little time in the city, I was investing single home we had to bet on my passion for photography.
With new office, we began focusing our energies on Great Campinas. Campinas is a megalopolis with around 1.223.237 inhabitants, figure calculated in 2021.
In 2012, I met north-american Dane Sanders. Dane was a milestone on my professional career. I am used to say meeting Dane was an ordinary moment which became extraordinary.
Dane was considered one of the most influent photographers in the world in 2010. He was in Brazil releasing his book on biggest wedding conference in Latin America and got an standing ovation along event. His lecture was amazing and soon we began e-mailing each other, developing a nice friendship. From that on I was able to put Dane´s book on faculty list.
My work became a reference in Campinas and I believe it´s not just related to the corporate structure I developed, but mainly the manner I developed it.
In 2014, my work went beyond the borders. I was invited by two couple to photograph in Europe; a valuable experience which added too much to my work. It was a photographic ride through Rome, Venice and Paris. There are opportunities which are created and proportioned by the manner you decide to carry on your professional career. I always intended to treat my clients respectfully, since I am writing a piece of their stories, and it demands sensitiveness and love.
In 2017, life had a new meaning for me, bringing a new light and a big challenge. I was trying to get pregnant for many years, but I wasn´t able to make it. I got through many exams, but had no success. Finally, in June I found out I was expecting twins. It was biggest joy I experienced until then. But doctors considered my pregnancy a high-risk process. In 22° pregnancy week, my uterus shrank, so I had to get through a procedure to keep the babies. My delivery was early since babies stopped growing. In spite of the challenge, God helped us in this stage.
In 2021, our world was turned upside down when we received my son’s autism diagnosis. I was experiencing a magical moment with my children, but suddenly things began to change. He was not developing like his sister, he was not speaking, his social interaction was limited, and we began to fear for the future. I always thought that having a child with special needs meant just loving him unconditionally, but it’s not just that. Life begins to show you how brief and fragile it is, and all your professional success and all the money you’ve saved can’t do anything for your child. You need to help them and wait to see what happens, and that’s exactly where we were, waiting for him to start talking, for him to understand, living one day at a time, with purpose and joy. But in the midst of this great challenge, something happened that we never imagined could happen. One day we took Miguel to a doctor and he mentioned that here in the United States the procedures for autistic children are more advanced, such as schools and therapeutic procedures, and that’s when we decided to leave everything behind and move to the United States. The first barrier we faced was immigration.
How can you legally live in the most coveted country in the world? As a simple family who had a good life in Brazil but were far from wealthy enough to bring Miguel for treatment and return, we would have to sell everything we had achieved in Brazil to move completely, but how could we obtain documents and live legally? God used photography. I wrote my own immigration petition, based on my career. It took 323 days of writing with a heart full of hope but also with fear of receiving a denial. It was a long process, almost two years, but to God’s glory, in 2023 we arrived here with only four suitcases, but with our Green Cards in hand. It was extraordinary. I could never have imagined that a 12-year-old girl could get a Green Card based on her passion for photography. Today we are starting over. It’s as if I could go back in time, but now I am no longer 12 years old and I am not in Brazil, but I feel renewed to achieve what God has in store for me in my new home.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our new start here in the United States has been full of challenges, because everything is new: a new culture, a new language, new rules…
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a wedding photographer who is passionate about stories and people. I love talking to people, finding out what they think, and how I can touch their hearts through photography.
What’s next?
I want to establish myself professionally and learn English.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lidiafernandes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lidiafernandesphotography?igsh=NXVkMTk2NGludzFs&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1K1LZNY1DA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
by Lidia Fernandes
