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Me in the mountains in Argentinian Patagonia, 2017. Photo from my lovely wife Camila, my girlfriend back then. Sony DSC-RX10 IV | F6.3 | 1/250 sec | ISO 1250 |
DPReview community member Rodrigo Pasiani is a lifelong photography enthusiast whose journey began as a teenager in Brazil with a 4 MP Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S40, a compact that he used to document friends, family and his favorite cats. From rural Brazil to Argentine Patagonia and, more recently, the forests and trails of southern Germany, his portfolio was shaped by persistence, curiosity, and a commitment to traveling light rather than chasing ever-larger camera bags.
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About Rodrigo
Rodrigo currently lives in Southern Germany, loves shooting in the Argentine Patagonia, and has a general passion for exploring the outdoors in extreme environments.
"My first digital camera was a gift from my parents during my teenage years. It was 2005, and the compact digital camera market was booming. In the pre-smartphone era, if you didn’t carry a Sony Cyber-shot in your pocket, you simply weren’t a cool guy. Costing the equivalent of four months of minimum wage in Brazil, my 4 MP Cyber-shot DSC-S40 was indeed a luxury item. I used it mainly to document gatherings with friends and family, and for cat shots, of course."
How long have you been a photographer?
"Photography has been my hobby since 2012. In 2012, I began my professional career (unrelated to photography) at a German multinational company in São Paulo. I had the opportunity to travel for work to different parts of the world, such as Germany, India, and China - something I was definitely not accustomed to. My world expanded significantly, and photography became a tool to document my travels, which I viewed as great adventures back then."
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Patagonian landscape, Argentina. The trip that changed my life (and lifestyle). I got very low on the ground to make the narrow stream look like a proper river.
Sony DSC-RX10 | F6.3 | 1/320 sec | ISO 125 |
"As my camera began to show signs of failure, it was time to buy a more modern compact camera: a Cyber-shot WX50, featuring a BSI-CMOS image sensor and an impressive 16 MP resolution. It accompanied me on several more international trips. Around that time, I also discovered DPReview.com. It has been my primary source of information on gear and techniques ever since. The staff and forum members possess extraordinary knowledge, and many are willing to answer questions in an incredibly deep and professional manner. My progress would certainly have been much slower without the help of all of you."
What got you started in photography?
"My main motivation for going out and starting to photograph was the 'Travels to the Edge' series by American photographer Art Wolfe.
From my bedroom window in São Paulo, I could photograph birds feeding on the fruit of a nearby tree. On television, I watched the series Travels to the Edge by American photographer Art Wolfe, of whom I became a great admirer. I was fascinated by the beautiful images and by Art’s enthusiasm for his work. That inspired me to go out and explore."
"The trails around the small town of El Chaltén led me to landscapes I had never dreamed of visiting—places that seemed inaccessible, exclusive to television documentaries." |
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Red deer grazing in an overgrown grassy field. My first encounter with red deer. What a pleasant surprise! Sony DSC-RX10M4 | F4 | 1/250 sec | ISO 1250 |
"Equipped with a Sony RX10 (purchased in late 2016, after being impressed by the image quality of the RX100 II I had acquired a year earlier), I scheduled a vacation trip to Argentine Patagonia. The trails around the small town of El Chaltén led me to landscapes I had never dreamed of visiting - places that seemed inaccessible, exclusive to television documentaries. Enormous granite monoliths with snow-covered summits, turquoise glacial lakes, and trees twisted by winds that frequently batter the region with great force."
What's in your bag, Rodrigo?
"My current gear consists of a Sony RX10 IV, an RX100 II that I rarely use nowadays, a Zeiss T* polarizing filter, a set of three Cokin P graduated neutral density filters and a Benro magnesium travel tripod, along with memory cards and spare batteries. A lens pen and a microfiber cleaning cloth are always with me as well. I usually use a 30-liter hiking backpack, but occasionally a 40-liter one. I have embraced the philosophy of traveling light. The gain in mobility is liberating; it’s hard to go back to using a rolling suitcase."
- Camera: Sony RX10 IV
- Lens(es): Fixed ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 8.8-220mm (24-600mm equiv) f/2.4-f/4
- Zeiss T* polarizing filter
- Set of three Cokin P graduated neutral density filters
- Benro magnesium travel tripod
- Various memory cards and spare batteries
- All in a 30-liter Quechua hiking backpack
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Rodrigo's 30-liter Quechua hiking backpack with camera, lens, and other accessories. Photo: Rodrigo Pasiani |
What other photography accessories typically go in your bag, and why?
Are there any special moments you've had in taking that perfect shot?
"One photographic event was particularly memorable. In November 2019, during the hot and rainy season in southwestern Brazil, I had the opportunity to attend a weekend nature photography workshop with master photographer Araquém Alcântara, one of the most respected photographers in Brazil, whose more than fifty years of work documenting the country’s untouched nature is nothing short of extraordinary."
"To photograph him at eye level, I had to hold the camera above my head while staying crouched in the pasture. I wasn’t camouflaged—he could certainly see me there. It must have been quite a comical scene. ""One day, by chance, I came across a pair of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia). They nest in burrows abandoned by other animals, commonly in embankments along gravel roads. Owls of this species are frequently found in the region, but these were particularly bold. Normally, they do not allow an approach closer than ten or twelve meters (~39 feet), but during a late-afternoon mountain bike ride, I happened to encounter a courageous pair that allowed me to get a bit closer."
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Burrowing owl perched on a fence post. He was probably thinking “Here comes that weirdo again.…”
Sony DSC-RX10 | F4 | 1/800 sec | ISO 125 |
"I visited this owl pair for nearly a year and, amid many mediocre images, managed to capture a few good ones from very close range. I discovered that they would allow me to approach much closer if I crawled. On two or three occasions, I got to within about two meters of the male, which was perched on a fence post. To photograph him at eye level, I had to hold the camera above my head while staying crouched in the pasture. I wasn’t camouflaged - he could certainly see me there. It must have been quite a comical scene."
Rodrigo's advice for other photographers
"Whether documenting family events, vacation trips, weekend hikes in nature, or simply a walk through the city, photography remains more than a hobby for me - it is also a way to connect with nature and with history, a true form of meditation."
Editor's note: This article continues a new series, 'What's in your bag?', highlighting DPReview community members, their photography and the gear they depend on. Would you like to be featured in a future installment? Tell us a bit about yourself and your photography by filling out this form. If you're selected for a feature, we'll be in touch with next steps.
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