“The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.”-

John Tukey, 1977.

For the Brazilian-born artist Titano Cruz, now successfully working in the United States, photography was just another language.  It started as a hobby years ago while he worked as a production manager at the Brasilia National Theater, taking photographs on the side for other artists’ portfolios.  All the while he took every opportunity to hone his skills.  It was no surprise that he eventually sought his own artistic calling:  After all, on the maternal side of the family, all ten siblings share a creative gene.  The common aesthetic and talent never needed to be deconstructed or justified—it was just their way of doing things; an inborn quality. 

Every step of photography’s production fits Titano’s character perfectly:  its requirement for solitude and the constant demand to learn about technological innovations in the field.  Yet, it is in the act of the initial creation that the most important aspects of his photography are found:  light and composition.  The ability to capture his eyes’ vision at the very moment of its unfolding is what matters in the end; and at this point of his career, recognizing the right shot is a mere reflex. 

Over a decade ago, landscape became Titano’s favorite subject.  Like a hunter, he departs for his game whenever inspiration strikes, never premeditating the result and always equipped with patience (and the right equipment, of course).  After a day’s work, when the photographer returns to his studio, he feels rejuvenated, his sanity is regained; and what other cathartic quality does art possess than to return the artist to his authentic self.