My name is Melchior Dias Santos.
I am a German multidisciplinary photographer and visual artist currently based in Kraków, Poland.
My creative "journey" started with an early musical education in playing piano and pencil drawings. After some years of creative absence and "Selbstfindung" I rediscovered my love for visual arts in the form of acrylic paintings. I bought a DSLR to "scan" those canvases and document my life. That's how I ended up with my first ever camera.
Photography as a medium became an addiction shortly after. I like the accessibility and freedom it provides.
You'll find both analogue and digital photographs in my portfolio. Often driven by melancholic aesthetics and personal points of interest. I don't like to think in genres but some might describe me as a candid- or street-photographer. I just like to take photos.
And I like to cook.
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awards:
finalist: Photographers for social change (24hourproject)
BNW PA Bronze award winner 2023
Lensculture editors' pick 2023
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collabs/features/publications:
lensculture
dehancer
kodak
MYP MAGAZINE
refocus media labs (COMPETITION JUDGE) 2023
rethinking refugees (EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER) 2022
burnmyeye (curated by Gustavo minas) 2023
streetizm
bnwpoland and more
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EXHIBITIONS:
PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE (24HOURPROJECT) - HYDERABAD, INDIA 2024
"UNRECOGNISED" EXHIBITION (KRAKOW PHOTOMONTH) - KRAKOW, POLAND 2024
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This page will function as a home for some of my current projects and will be a never-ending project itself.
If you enjoy my content please consider supporting me. This will help to fund my work - 100% of it will be reinvested in my craft and more content.