Born in 1977, Rodrigo Cabrita is still a young soul. He started his career by stealing his family’s little camera. After some years and many a blurred and out-of-focus picture he decided to make photography his way of life.
He studied Photography at AR.CO. Back then the teachers told him it would not be easy to find his place in the sun in this “new life” but he believed (and still does) there must be a little spot for him. And he works hard to find it.
He shot sports for newspaper O JOGO before going back to work for generalist Diário de Noticias (DN), the daily where he had done his internship after school. He stayed with that news group until 2011, when he joined the ranks of daily newspaper Jornal i as deputy head of the photography department, where he was given creative freedom to develop in-depth stories, as well as daily news.
Rodrigo is a member of 4SEE photographers since 2006, where he also publishes some of his personal work.
Partnering with a handful of great friends and even greater photographers he participated in collective photography projects 12.12.12 and Troika, aiming to raise awareness about the effects of the economic crisis and austerity measures in Portugal.
He can’t imagine doing anything else in life. He believes that his camera is part of his body and he doesn’t know how to live without it. Now a freelance photojournalist and photographer he strives to continue to tell and frame good stories and to keep calling attention to social issues, always documenting real life and real people.
Throughout the years he has been featured in the main Portuguese newspapers such as Diário de Notícias, Jornal de Notícias and Jornal i, as well as abroad in Associated Press, Le Monde, ABC, Les Temps, ESPN Magazine and TIME.com. He won the Gazeta de Fotojornalismo 2011 award with an image of the funeral of Nobel Literature Prize winner José Saramago and the 2014 Edition of the Estação de Imagem Award with the feature Learning to Survive in the Daily Life category.
- Gold and Silver medals for Features in the 12th Edition of the Iberian Award ÑH of The Society for News Design, in 2015
- 1st and 2nd place in the category Daily Life of the 2014 Edition of the Estação de Imagem Award, with Learning to Survive and A week at the beach for the elderly, respectively
- 36th edition of The Society for News Design Award of Excellence in Single Photos – General News for the cover of Eusébio’s Funeral
- Silver medal for Latest News and Gold and Silver medals for Features in the 11th Edition of the Iberian Award ÑH of The Society for News Design, in 2014
- Gold and Bronze medal for Features in the 10th Edition of the Iberian Award ÑH of The Society for News Design, in 2013
- Silver medal for Features and Bronze medal for Portfolio in the 9th Edition of the Iberian Award ÑH of The Society for News Design, in 2012
- Gazeta de Fotojornalismo 2011 award for an image of the funeral of Nobel Literature Prize winner José Saramago
- 3rd place in the EU-OSHA photo competition on workplace health and safety with a photo of fishermen, in 2009
- 2nd place at the Sintra Bienal 2009 Photography Competition with images of New York
- 1st place in Features of the photojournalism competition of the magazine Visão in 2008, with a feature about Comunidade Vida e Paz, a non-profit organization that works to protect and help the homeless
- Honourable Mention in Sports of the photojournalism competition of the magazine Visão in 2007 with a photo of the football match between Sporting and Porto
- Honourable Mention in Features of the photojournalism competition of the magazine Visão in 2007 with a photo of Cavaco Silva’s political campaign
- Honourable Mention in Sports of the photojournalism competition of Fujifilm in 2005 with a photo of the Euro 2004
- Troika Project – 2014
- 12.12.12 – The Social and economic crisis in Portugal – 2012
- Dimensions – the 1st 3D exhibit in Portugal – 2011
- Public and Private – Portrait of the Presidents – 2010
- Collective Book Rio Mar Lisboa Rio – 2015
- Collective Book Projecto Troika – 2014
- Collective Book 12.12.12 – 2012
- Collective Book Public and Private – Portrait of the Presidents – 2010
Diário de Notícias, Jornal de Notícias, Jornal i, Notícias Magazine, Notícias Sábado, Notícias TV, 24 horas, O Jogo, Volta ao Mundo, Evasões, A Bola, Visão, AP, Le Monde, ABC, Les Temps, ESPN Magazine and TIME.com