"I love life. Since childhood, women have always captivated me - beginning with my mother and her friends, and later through images like those in French Photo. I’ve always envisioned them in vivid, imaginative ways.
"I see women as free, confident and my accomplices in expanding the boundaries of reality with daring creativity.
"Music, cinema, a bustling city, a new journey - these inspire me. My process is constant, whether awake or dreaming, filled with fantastic and often comic visions.
"Life is intense... so let’s have fun!"
João de Castro grew up in an environment that combined a strict, classical education with the vibrant energy of the intellectual and artistic circles surrounding him. His childhood in the 1960s and 1970s was filled with creativity and excitement, surrounded by musicians, artists, horse riders, car racers and other inspiring figures.
A self-taught talent, João began his career in 1985 in the editorial and advertising industries as a photographer and producer. He later expanded his role to manage and direct his own advertising agency. In 1994, he discovered his true artistic voice, becoming the first Portuguese photographer to fully dedicate himself to the art of nude photography. His unique vision quickly gained recognition, and he was invited to share his expertise through press features, workshops, lectures, conferences and exhibitions. For several years, João juggled roles as a photographer, educator, writer, editor and producer.
From 2005 to 2010, João was a sponsored author and consultant in fine art photography and printing for major brands like Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, Adobe, Olympus, Sony and Hahnemühle in Portugal. He was instrumental in guiding photographers through the digital photography revolution, developing cultural projects along the way.
Between 2008 and 2010, João was honoured with the Professional Merit Award from the Professional Association of Photographers and the Federation of European Professional Photographers for three consecutive years. By this time, his work was already gaining international attention.
Building on this success, João shifted his focus to personal artistic exploration and expanding his global presence. Today, with 50 exhibitions, numerous awards - including honours from Black & White Spider, IPA and Monochrome - and representation by Addicted Art Gallery, João's stunning work is featured in collections worldwide.