Debora Spanhol Wants Fashion Photography to Feel Human.

When I opened Zoom, I saw Debora Spanhol, a young woman in her early thirties, adorned with chunky silver bangles, rings, and earrings that looked like melted metal, all created by a designer friend of hers. They stood in striking contrast to her warm, dark eyes, little brunette curls, and big, curious smile, giving her the look of a southern Italian woman.

Yet Debora is a Brazilian photographer, and through her work, you can trace her roots, rising to make her photography vivid and bright, while remaining quiet and unobtrusive, a reflection of her many years living and working in Berlin.

She started photography at just fifteen, initially as a hobby, shooting weddings after completing a short course. Her teacher, already a professional photographer, soon offered her a position as his personal assistant.

"You know, I was only fifteen, but I'd already gone on those fun trips where I could do photography beyond weddings, which, to be fair, could sometimes get a bit boring," she recalls.

Wedding photography became her first serious career step, allowing her to put the practical skills she'd gained from her course into practice. She didn't stay in that field for long, however. Capturing fleeting moments proved challenging, and she soon shifted towards the more controlled world of fashion photography.

"I wanted to do something bigger than that, but in my small town, photography wasn't really a thing," she says.

After finishing high school, Debora moved to Milan to study fashion photography for a year. She later returned to Brazil, realising that staying in a larger city, or perhaps moving back to Europe, would offer more opportunities than her hometown ever could. Around the same time, her boyfriend was also looking for work in Europe and, by coincidence, found a job in Berlin.

"I love Berlin for its creativity. It's everywhere, especially among the young designers taking their first steps into the vast world of fashion," says Debora.

The challenge, however, often comes from the client side. Many emerging designers simply don't have the budget to invest in editorial shoots, making it difficult to build a stable client base in Berlin.

For larger projects, Debora frequently travels to Paris and is now considering moving there permanently.

"All the big designers are in Paris. It makes sense. In the long run, this is where fashion was born," she says.

As we talk, travel quietly traces the path of our conversation. For Debora, it is an essential part of both her life and her work. Her photographs reflect different places through different palettes. Warm, floral, and sensitive tones echo her trips to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, while cooler, more restrained colours mirror Berlin and Germany as a whole.

When I ask which culture has influenced her the most, she answers without hesitation: Brazil.

"I'm from Brazil, of course. Being surrounded by its culture, I reflect it everywhere in my work, even unconsciously. For me, it's a floral theme that I try to include in almost every photograph," she says.

Indeed, she does.Her explanation is simple. While she loves photographing people, they are rarely the only focus of her images. There has to be something more, a small detail that catches your eye, a hidden meaning quietly woven into the frame.

"It helps bring feeling to the person and the product we're trying to showcase," she explains. "It's about making the photoshoot feel less commercial and more profound."

As we browse through the work showcased on her website, including covers for Vogue Portugal and Glamour, my attention is immediately drawn to the models she's had the opportunity to photograph. One shoot, in particular, stands out: a 1960s-inspired editorial featuring Isabell Fontana for Pierre Cardin.

Debora laughs; "Working with her was a real pleasure. She was so chill. She was sweet and grounded, which surprised me at first, especially after working with so many different clients. Some are distant and serious, while others are fun and easy-going."

Debora describes the shoot as one of the biggest projects of her career so far, and one she remains immensely proud of. For her, working with models who are willing to build a genuine connection with the camera is one of the greatest rewards of the profession, far more meaningful than the financial side of the industry.

"For me, working with models comes in two forms: individual projects and commercial ones. Commercial work needs no explanation, Individual projects are where I can fully express my creativity and emotions through the camera. That's what I prefer." She says.

Following that thought, she shows me the photographs she keeps saved in her favourite folders. Almost all of them are personal projects. Models look directly into the camera with quiet confidence, surrounded by flowers or holding them gently, subtle references to the Brazilian landscapes that continue to inspire her.

"I love people. That's really what it comes down to," says Debora. "But my Brazilian nature follows me everywhere, so bringing the natural world into my portraits just feels right."

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Photo © Photography by Debora Spanhol