Érika Mourão: Overcoming as a Political and Poetic Gesture

In Belo Horizonte, where she lives and works, Érika Mourão transforms sports photography into a powerful instrument of social documentation and affection. At 36 years old, the photographer from Minas Gerais dedicates herself to capturing not only the intensity of bodies in motion but the stories of overcoming and resistance that pulse on the tracks, fields, and streets. Her trajectory, which began in 2012, solidified in 2017 when she discovered in sports a privileged space of genuine emotion and spontaneous truth – and decided to use her camera to give visibility to causes and realities that deserve to be seen.

Her image “No Limits” a finalist in the Single Image category of the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025, is an eloquent testimony to this mission. Captured during a street race in Nova Lima in 2025, the photograph transcends the sports record by revealing a para-athlete advancing with absolute determination, supported by crutches, while overtaking a crowd of runners. More than celebrating physical performance, the image unveils the invisible strength of “will” that challenges social barriers and imposed limits. With documentary sensitivity, Mourão invites the viewer to reflect on inclusion, courage, and dignity, reminding us that sports can be a territory of human transformation where every gesture carries a narrative capable of inspiring change.

Learn more about this trajectory and the projects that strengthen the place of women in sports photography in the following interview.

How old are you? Where do you currently live and work?

I am 36 years old, I live in Belo Horizonte (MG) and work as a sports and documentary photographer. My work is divided between event coverage, authorial projects, and initiatives that value the female presence in sports photography.

Tell us about your journey in photography. When did you start photographing and why? What role does photography play in your life?

I started photographing in 2012, motivated by the desire to capture moments that reveal genuine emotions and inspiring stories. In 2017, I fell in love with sports photography because it brings together intensity, emotion, and truth in a single instant. In sports, everything happens spontaneously – overcoming, joy, pain, effort – and the camera becomes a tool to immortalize these stories. Over time, I realized that photography was much more than a craft: it is my means of expression and connection with the world. It allows me to give visibility to people, causes, and realities that deserve to be seen.

Tell us about your finalist work for the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025. When and where was it created? What is its concept? How does it fit into your photographic practice?

This image was captured during a street race in Nova Lima in 2025. It goes beyond the sports record by portraying human overcoming and resilience, showing a para-athlete advancing determinedly, supported by crutches, amidst a crowd of runners.

While photographing this athlete, I was overcome by a deep emotion upon perceiving the force that drives him forward, overcoming not only his physical limits but also the invisible barriers that society often imposes. Seeing him overtake so many runners showed me that the true weapon of a human being is the strength of will.

This photograph seeks to sensitize the viewer to themes such as inclusion, courage, and dignity, revealing sports as a space for social and human transformation, where every gesture carries a meaningful story that goes beyond competition.

This image synthesizes my documentary gaze in sports: to reveal that in every gesture, there is a human narrative that dialogues with relevant social issues today.

What projects are you currently working on? What are your near-future plans for photographic production?

Currently, I am dedicated to sports and documentary photography projects, seeking to capture the intensity, emotion, and passion of athletes and para-athletes in different modalities. In the coming months, I intend to deepen works that explore the relationship between sports and social inclusion, in addition to dedicating myself to the Alpha Woman Agency, an agency I created to promote, value, and give visibility to the work of women in sports photography. The initiative was born from the desire to strengthen the female presence in this segment, creating a network of support, opportunities, and recognition for female photographers who work in a space historically dominated by men.