Helena (the “H” is silent) was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During these years she played in the shadows of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado, danced to the sounds of samba and bossa nova music, frolicked on the beaches of Copacabana and watched the sun set over the mountains of Ipanema. She has also witnessed poverty and hardship unlike what most Americans have ever seen from a city surrounded by hilltop slums that lack even basic necessities such as running water or electricity. An architect by trade, Helena’s life experience and training have provided her with a gift for seeing. She uses this talent to document life: “I love to photograph people, especially when they don’t know that I’m watching them. I like to register the exact moment of an action or feeling.” Her photographs capture more than just her subjects; they capture a culture.
