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André Hänni Tortorelli is a Brazilian photographer who has captured numerous pros as well as regular kiters, mainly in Brazil and Portugal. He sent us some of his favorite shots so we thought we’d find out more about him…
I am from São Paulo, Brazil but studied at the Madrid School of Photography. I have been a professional photographer for 16 years, nine of which have been dedicated to kitesurfing photography. In 2015, the good winds took me to Barra Grande, in Piauí, where I formed a partnership with Ariosto Ibiapina, owner of the BGK pousada there. Capturing the details and emotions expressed by the freedom the sport provides was the aim of the project, making the client’s experience unique and even more enchanting. It is a partnership that has now been renewed for six seasons.
The project was also embraced by José Sampaio, owner of the FeelViana Hotel on Cabedelo Beach in Viana do Castelo, and I’ve now spent three seasons there. In the strong wind and cold water of northern Portugal, my lens and attentive eyes make kitesurfers happy in their moments of adrenaline, progression and contact with nature. As I often say: they’re not just clients, they become friends. More than 3,000 lovers of the sport have passed through my lens including Carlos Mário, Jett Bradshaw, Yaron Moura, Angely Bouillot, Camille Delannoy, Mitu Monteiro, Reno Romeu and Manoel Soares, among others. In some ways it’s easier to photograph the professionals as I already know when they will perform maneuvers.
Before entering the world of kitesurfing, I was a photographer of snow sports such as skiing and snowboarding for many seasons in Andorra and Spain, snow being one of my passions. I also worked as a photojournalist covering football matches and daily life in the city of São Paulo. I love working with drones and taking aerial images, and have specialized in taking videos with my drone, showing a perspective that the camera cannot capture. With several photographic exhibitions in my portfolio and expeditions to more than 17 countries capturing the cultures of each place, I see the beach as my natural habitat for photography. So, maybe I’ll see you on a beach in Brazil or Portugal one day…
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