Behind the Lens

Behind the Lens

Janaína Matarazzo is a Brazilian wildlife photographer, born in São Paulo and based in Botswana since 2008. She studied Industrial Design and Analog Photography at Belas Artes and FAAP. In Botswana’s landscapes, she found a home and a place to develop her photographic eye.

Animals and the natural world have fascinated me since childhood. Living in Botswana transformed that connection. I began to follow the rhythm of the seasons, encounters between animals and the subtle gestures that reveal themselves when we take the time to observe.

An old Toyota accompanied me on many of those discoveries. I drove through savannas, camped and spent long hours waiting for an image. Over time, I learned to recognise behaviours, notice signals and respect distances. That attentiveness continues to shape the way I photograph.

My work grows from this daily connection. I am drawn to an animal’s presence in the landscape as much as to a glance, a texture or a movement. Photography allows me to share something of the experience of being there and of the relationship I have built with this place over the years.

My journey has also included working alongside conservation projects and communities living near national parks. Sharing the land with wildlife brings daily challenges. I believe conservation must involve the people who live there and bring tangible benefits to their lives.

My photographs are a record of my connection to Botswana. Through them, I hope to draw attention to its wildlife and to what we need to preserve.

Por Trás da Lente

Por trás da lente

Janaína Matarazzo é uma fotógrafa brasileira de vida selvagem, nascida em São Paulo e radicada em Botswana desde 2008. Estudou Desenho Industrial e Fotografia Analógica na Belas Artes e na FAAP. Nas paisagens de Botswana, encontrou um lugar para viver e desenvolver seu olhar sobre a natureza.

Desde criança, os animais e o mundo natural despertam minha curiosidade. Viver em Botswana transformou essa relação. Passei a acompanhar o ritmo das estações, os encontros entre os animais e os pequenos gestos que só se revelam quando permanecemos tempo suficiente para observar.

Um antigo Toyota me acompanhou em muitas dessas descobertas. Ao volante, percorri savanas, acampei e passei longas horas à espera de uma imagem. Com o tempo, aprendi a reconhecer comportamentos, perceber sinais e respeitar distâncias. Essa atenção orienta a maneira como fotografo.

Meu trabalho nasce dessa convivência. Interesso-me tanto pela presença de um animal na paisagem quanto por um olhar, uma textura ou um movimento. A fotografia me permite compartilhar algo da experiência de estar ali e da relação que construí com esse lugar ao longo dos anos.

Minha trajetória também inclui a colaboração com projetos de conservação e comunidades que vivem no entorno de parques nacionais. Nessas regiões, compartilhar o território com animais selvagens traz desafios diários. Acredito que a conservação precisa envolver as pessoas que vivem ali e trazer benefícios concretos para suas vidas.

Minhas fotografias são um registro dessa ligação com Botswana. Através delas, procuro despertar a atenção para a vida selvagem e para aquilo que precisamos preservar.

Black and white photo of two people standing in front of a small propeller airplane in Maun Airport, Botswana, with clouds in the sky.
Janaina Matarazzo with long brown hair wearing a gray knit beanie and a dark jacket, standing on rocky shoreline with ocean and cloudy sky in the background.
Janaina Matarazzo and the San People sitting on a log in a savannah with trees and a safari vehicle in the background
Janaina Matarazzo in a black sleeveless top and a wide-brimmed hat using a spotting scope on a tripod at a riverbank with elephants drinking water in the background.
Janaina Matarazzo making a photo of a wildlife scene from a boat on a river, with floating grass and elephants in the background in the Okavango Delta.
Janaina Matarazzo in aviation gear, wearing a helmet, headset, and gloves, holding a professional camera, smiling at the camera, with Helicopter Horizons, Maun, Botswana.
Janaina Matarazzo sitting inside a tent at Meno A Kwena Camp, with her hands behind her head, surrounded by rustic furniture and decorations, in Botswana.
Janaina Matarazzo riding a horse in a safari setting with a giraffe in the background.
Campground at night with a large tree, a car with an open trunk, a small tent, a camping chair, a table, and a person sitting by a campfire under a starry sky.
Four people standing inside a restaurant with animal sculptures and heads on a table, including zebra, giraffe, elephant, crocodile, and hippo.
People dressed as animals, with face paint, sitting outdoors near a painted giraffe and an elephant sculpture, during a celebration or event.
A woman stands in a desert with two camels, one nearby and one in the background, with sand dunes and a clear blue sky.
Person hiking in snowy forest at sunset with a backpack, near a bear warning sign that reads "Slow Down for Wildlife."
A woman hiking in a mountainous landscape with blue skies, rocks, and mountains in the background, holding a trekking pole and wearing binoculars.
A woman with a sun hat, black shirt, and shorts stands on a grassy hill with trees, holding binoculars and a camera, overlooking a coastal scene with large cliffs, a beach, and the ocean under a blue sky.