São Joaquim

São Joaquim market along the shore of Salvador is the beating heart of all the goods that come and go. The freshest of fruits and vegetables, animals for life and for ceremony,  stalls for lunch, for beer, where friends gather between duties for a game of cards, where long overdue naps are taken after far too early starts. Kittens and pups wander throughout finding scraps around every corner.  Like almost any market, there is a darker underside. I met Daniella on my third visit… after spending some time with her I found out she had recently been attacked - mugged and stabbed the night before - and was pregnant. I gave her a few dollars that were quickly swapped for some drugs. I’m not sure what she was smoking, I’m a bit naive to what’s in those little pipes, but I think it was nothing more than marijuana. The world in the market is fascinating, difficult, beautiful and always a challenge to photograph. I can’t wait to return! 

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