Rio de Janeiro is a city of big contrasts. High, modern, totally air-conditioned buildings near favelas full of brick dwellings, stylish hotels in Copacabana not far from the old, impoverished Lapa, where in the night samba music is played in every bar. Rich people in Ipanema and people that have difficulty making both ends meet in the nearby favela Rosinho.

I have taken over two thousand shots in the streets of Rio, from which I have selected a few for this book.

A special issue form the thousands of street children that live near places like Praça Quince and Rodaviaria. They come from the favelas and fled from the insecurity of broken families. I have photographed them in a special way, with my digital Hasselblad together with a mobile flash unit in order to lighten them out in an almost fasionlike style. They form the little gems of the book.

All photos were taken in January and February 2008.



Ton Hendriks