Rodolfo Paz: The wild light of the Pantanal in the eyes of the jaguar

Photographer Rodolfo Paz, from Porto Alegre, has built a unique trajectory that turned a travel hobby into a full-time profession. Specializing in wildlife, he works with brands, authorial projects, photographic expeditions, and fine art, finding in photography not just a craft, but an identity that has allowed him to know “places and people previously unimaginable.” His journey began modestly with cell phone photographs during vacations but evolved into a passion that redirected his professional life after a layoff, leading him to become one of the most dedicated documentarians of Brazilian fauna.

His image “Jaguar Soul“, a finalist in the Single Image category of the FotoDoc Photo Contest 2025, captures a moment of rare magic in the Pantanal. Taken in 2022, during his first encounter with this biome that seduced him with the unpredictability and novelty of animal scenes, the photograph reveals a jaguar illuminated by the sunrise light that reflects on the river water and plays in its eyes, creating a sublime play of light and shadow. More than a documentary record, the image synthesizes Paz’s quest for the world’s largest felines in different places on the planet, with the jaguar as the main subject of his work. The scene, which remains his favorite, perfectly represents the transition moment when a hobby turned into a photographic mission.

Learn more about this discovery of the Pantanal and the projects that lead expeditions to wild paradises in the following interview.

“Origem”
As curvas da areia revelam a silhueta de um corpo humano. É a semente do ensaio, onde a paisagem se veste de carne e forma. A natureza se desenha como figura.
Imagem do Ensaio Onde a Água Sonha, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

“Caminhos do Corpo”
Ramos escuros se espalham como veias, revelando um mapa interno da terra. A imagem pulsa, como se o chão respirasse sob a pele branca dos Lençóis.
Imagem do Ensaio Onde a Água Sonha, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

“Pimenta do Ar”
Uma silhueta que arde — como o fruto que inspira sua forma. A pimenta ganha contornos no contraste entre o escuro da lagoa e o branco do entorno.
Imagem do Ensaio Onde a Água Sonha, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

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

I am 41 years old, I live in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, and I am a full-time photographer working with brands, projects, expeditions, and fine art.

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

Photography started as a hobby I practiced on my vacation trips. It began just with my cell phone, but over time I felt the need to buy a camera and venture further into this universe of photography. When I was laid off from my last job, I decided to turn photography into a profession, and I am walking that path. Photography has become part of who I am because it has given me the opportunity to know places and people previously unimaginable.

O impacto
O instante em que o corpo rompe a superfície e mergulha no desconhecido. Tudo se desfaz em espuma — inclusive o som.
Imagem do Ensaio O Silêncio da Água, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

Terra líquida
Metade do mundo está submersa. Mas o olhar navega inteiro, costurando raízes, pedras e cardumes no mesmo plano.
Imagem do Ensaio O Silêncio da Água, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

Pedra de luz
Imerso entre rochas e reflexos, o corpo se torna parte da paisagem. Não há mais quem observa ou é observado.
Imagem do Ensaio O Silêncio da Água, de Rodolfo Paz, selecionado no Prêmio. Portfólio FotoDoc 2025.

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?

Wildlife photography came into my path and never left. I was seduced by the unpredictability and novelty of animal life scenes when I first visited the Pantanal in 2022. And since then, I return every year and now I’ve started taking people to photograph with me and also to get to know this fantastic biome that is the Pantanal. This finalist photo was taken in 2022, in one of the most beautiful jaguar scenes I have had the pleasure of capturing, and it is still my favorite. The light of the sunrise hit the river water and reflected in the animal’s eyes, creating this incredible light and shadow. I am always seeking to photograph the largest felines in the world in different places on the planet, and the jaguar is the main subject of my work.

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

Today I am seeking to consolidate my photographic expeditions to present these wild paradises to people. I intend to produce books on the subject and perhaps documentaries in the future.