ABOUT

 

 

Rafael Fabrés (b.1982. Madrid.) is a photographer and filmmaker specializing in documentary storytelling. 

He holds a BA in Media Communication (UEM) and a Master’s Degree in Cinematography (ESCAC). 

Rafael´s work explores the connections between identity, displacement and belonging in his projects.  

 

After having lived in Central and Latin America for more than a decade working as a photojournalist, he felt compelled to dig deeper into his past experience and expand his visual approach beyond his previous perspective.  

 

This led to his first book titled Cafuné (2020), focusing tangentially on the "pacification" of the favelas in Rio; the work was a personal perspective of the Marvelous City during the Pope’s visit and the massive protests in 2013, the World Cup of 2014 and the Olympic Games of 2016.  

 

The book “Cafuné” was launched at the 2020 Visa Pour L´Image festival and won awards at the 2020 Prix de la Photographie Paris, the 2021 Lucie Photobook Prize, the 2022 Rotterdam/Tiradentes Photo Festival, the 2023 Florida Museum of Photographic Arts International Photography Competition, the 2023 Les Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert Festival and the Urban Book Awards at Trieste Photo Days Festival.  

 

A series of short films, photo projects and exhibitions followed, all part of an ongoing interactive Web Project founded by the Spanish Brazilian Studies Institute.  

 

Rafael is currently working in his two next long term projects between City of Mexico and Madrid. 

 

Publications + Clients 

TIME, Getty Images,The New York Times, Stern, Der Spiegel, El Pais Semanal, Paris Match, Le Monde, L´Express, De Volkskrant, L´Expansion, Daily Telegraph, Aljazeera, AP, Bloomberg, Canon, NPR, Iberia, UNICEF, MSN France, Red Cross, NRC Next, Caser, YAHOO, Modus magazine, Yo Donna, Dagens Naeringgsliv, Philosophie Magazine, De Standard, Mia Magazine, Dagens Niheter, DPA, El Mundo, Fashion and Arts Magazine, FHM Norway, Fish Eye Magazine, GEA Photowords, RAW Magazine, Helsingin Sanomat, Il Fatto Quotidiano, Ilta Sanomat, IN Magazine, Knack Magazine, Revista luces, La Nacion, LF Magazine & Gatopardo. 

 

Awards 

2023- Urban Photo Awards. Trieste Photo Days - Urban Book Award Winner  

2023- International Photography Awards - Book Monograph Honorable Mention 

2023- Muse Photography Awards - Platinum Winner 

2023- Florida Museum of Photographic Arts - International Photography Competition Winner 

2023- Les Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert 

2022- MIFA. Moscow Foto Awards - Silver Book Documentary 

2022- Tiradentes Rotterdam Photo Festival. Finalist 

2021- Lucie Photobook Prize. Finalist 

2020- PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris Book/Documentary Professional Silver Award Winner 

2018- Mexico International Film Festival Music Video Category Winner. 

2017- European Cinematography Awards Best Music Video Category Winner. 

2016- European Journalism Centre (EJC) Grant Winner. 

2013- POYi Award of Excellence News Story Category. 

2013- Photocrati Fund Honorable Mention.  

2013- Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation Grant Finalist. 

2013- International Photography Awards Honorable Mention Editorial-General News. 

2013- International Photography Awards Honorable Mention Editorial-Photo Essay and Feature Story.  

2013- Emphasis Crowdfunding Campaign Winner. 

2012- EDDIE ADAMS Workshop XXV Selected.  

2012- PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris Bronze Award Press- War Category. 

2012- International Photography Awards Honorable Mention Editorial-General News. 

2012- Prix ANI (Association Nationale des Iconographes) Finalist. 

 

Exhibitions 

2023- (solo) Urban Photo Awards. Trieste, Italy  

2023- (group) Florida Museum of Photographic Arts - Tampa, USA 

2023- (group) Estartspace - Madrid, Spain 

2023- (group) Les Nuits Photographiques de Pierrevert (screening) - Pierrevert, France 

2021- (solo) Centro Estudios Hispano Brasileño Universidad Salamanca - Salamanca, Spain  

2020- (group) Visa pour l'image Festival (screening) - Perpignan, France 

2019- (group) "DKV Creadores de Conciencia" - Madrid, Valencia, Zaragoza & Gijon, Spain 

2018- (group) "DKV Creadores de Conciencia" - Barcelona, Spain 

2017- (group) "Upfront Colective" - CDMX, Mexico 

2016- (solo) Academia de España - Rome, Italy 

2016- (group) "Upfront Colective" - Madrid, Spain 

2015- (solo) EFTI - Madrid, Spain 

2014- (solo) DOCfield14 - Barcelona, Spain 

2014- (solo) Photon Festival - Valencia, Spain 

2013- (group) Paraty Em Foco (screening) - Paraty, Brazil 

2013- (solo) Visa pour l'image Festival XXV- Perpignan, France 

2013- (group) Les Rencontres d'Arles - Arles, France 

2012- (group) Bronx Documentary Center (screening)- New York, USA 

 

Press & Interviews  

- TRIESTE PHOTO DAYS 

- URBAN BOOK AWARD 2023 

- VICE MAGAZINE 

- TIME LIGHTBOX  

- VISA POUR L´IMAGE  

- NEW YORK TIMES 

- DER SPIEGEL 

- PICTURES OF THE YEAR INTERNATIONAL 

- PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS 

- EL PAIS 

- ALJAZEERA  

- EL PAIS MEXICO 

- PARIS MATCH  

- GATOPARDO 

- EPS 

- LE MONDE  

- THE GUARDIAN  

- EL MUNDO 

- FISH EYE MAGAZINE 

- DER SPIEGEL  

- TALENTO A BORDO  

- WIRED MAGAZINE 

- FHM MAGAZINE  

- DE VOLKSKRANT  

- HELSINGIN SANOMAT  

- EPS 

- LF MAGAZINE  

- INFLUYO  

- GEA PHOTOWORDS-  

- FOTOPERIODISMO 3.0 

- LOVELY HOUSE BOOKS  

- PHOTOCRATI  

- EFTI  

- PHOTON FESTIVAL  

- CANON  

- VERVE PHOTO 

- ALJAZEERA AMERICA 

- L´EXPRESS 

- EPS 

- LE MONDE 

- WIRED 

- EL PAIS BRASIL 

- CEBUSAL  

- FUNDACION CULTURAL HISPANO BRASILEÑA  

 

Education 

2022- HOJA DE RUTA Photobook Workshop. Madrid 

2019- ESCAC. Master´s Degree in Cinematography. Barcelona 

2017- BLANK PAPER Colectivo. Madrid 

2017- CENTRO Escuela de Imagen. Mexico City 

2012- EDDIE ADAMS Workshop XXV. NY 

2012- RISC (Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues) Workshop. NY 

2010- EFTI School. Degree in Photography. Madrid 

2008- UEM. Media Communications Degree. Madrid 

 

Workshops 

Walter Astrada, Christopher Anderson, Ernesto Bazan, Fosi Vegue, Moritz Neumuller & Sybren Kuiper 

 

 

 

CONTACT 

 

rafaelfabres@gmail.com 

 

+34 616429716 (Spain) 

 

INSTAGRAM