In Salvador, Bahia, photographer Jeferson Lima takes beautiful portraits of black Brazilians. “The state of Bahia has the largest concentration of blacks out of Africa and that’s so amazing to us,” Lima told AfroPunk.
Many of the vibrant photos feature model Luma Nascimento, but the purpose of this project is to showcase the spirit of Salvador through the black community. His project, which was launched on his Instagram account Soteropolitane.se last January, comes at a time when Black pride in Brazil seems to be on the rise. As we reported in November, more Brazilians identified as black in 2015 as compared to ten years ago. The change, which was first noted in 2007, is not connected to birth rates, and sociologists believe the shift is tied to positive attitudes about race, among other reasons, according to El País.
“Its well known that soteropolitanos went through a period of low self-esteem, and it was necessary to create a plan of action for us to go back to that past joy,” Lima’s website reads. Through his photos, Lima also hopes that people can feel like they are part of Salvador, whether it’s through food, clothes, or their stories.
Check out eight stunning photos below:
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