An evening that began like any other
One evening in Porto, I was walking with Alex (nicknamed Aqua Freska), me with my backpack and him with his crates of water. We had watched the sunset at Jardim do Morro, which was my daily ritual. From there, I would usually head back home.
This time, there was a Starbucks on the way. Alex went in for coffee while I waited outside. At one point, I noticed someone setting things up in a corner of the square. It looked like a fire show was on the way. When Alex came back, I suggested we go and have a look and drink our coffee outside, because something was about to happen.
Alex smiled and said:
“She’s my friend, Natalia.”
The first evening: watching, not photographing
Alex introduced us. Natalia was setting up her music and equipment at the same time. We sat down on the kerb and watched.
What I saw that first evening was more than a fire show. It was pure passion and joy in what she was doing. The photographer in my head started seeing pictures: that spin here, that smile there, the ring of fire around her, sparks rising into the dark sky. Throughout the performance, I saw moments I wanted to capture. But I had a 24–70mm f/4 lens on the camera, which simply would not have managed in light that low. By then, though, I already had a plan.
After the performance, I asked Natalia, “Would it be OK if I came back tomorrow and photographed you?” She nodded. Yes, that would be fine.
The second evening: fire, dance and a 50mm lens
The next evening, I turned up with a better lens. A 50mm f/1.8, exactly what I needed. Low light, live flames and fast movement are a combination that leaves no room for slow reactions.
Once the show began, I quickly realised this would not be a simple “take a few shots and I’m done” kind of evening. The fire lit Natalia’s face and body too brightly one moment, then barely at all the next. She moved quickly, spun around and sometimes tossed the fire into the air, while the light changed within seconds. I went along with all of it.
After the show: harder than taking the photographs
To be honest, looking through the photographs the next day was harder than the evening in the square. Sorting them felt like watching a short film all over again, because every frame held something I was reluctant to let go of.
It is a good problem to have when the person in front of the camera is so open and present. I had to keep telling myself that a gallery could not contain 300 photographs, even if I wanted it to. In the end, I chose the frames where the fire, movement and Natalia’s own energy came together.
Some time later, Natalia wrote a Facebook post thanking the photographers she had met along the way, and those “thousands of clicks” that help her see herself and share her art with others. She also thanked me for my photographs. Moments like that make me think about why I carry a camera around in the first place. Well, this is exactly why!
Friendship on a Porto street
Natalia did not remain just someone I photographed one evening. We kept in touch throughout my time in Porto. Sometimes, after her shows were over, we would sit in the street for hours, talking about life, art and travelling. That became part of my Porto: the people who keep it alive, alongside the city’s facades and bridges.
If you go to Porto
If you find yourself in Porto:
- Make sure you go and see Natalia’s fire show. She often performs near the Dom Luís I Bridge, where the evening light and bustle by the river provide a backdrop to the show.
- Say hello from Estonia. You can tell her you found her “through an Estonian’s photographs”.
- Appreciate how much of herself she puts into it. Leave something in her box too, a few coins or a note. This art takes time as well as passion.
If you are in Porto and looking for a performer for your event who does it for more than “just a job”, Natalia is the right person. In her hands, fire is more than an effect. It is a language she speaks.
With Natalia, this is a story about fire, friendship and an evening in Porto when I stood behind the camera, thinking about how many people in the world do what they truly love, and how lucky I was to be part of her story for a little while.
Full gallery: https://photography.antisoosaar.ee/en/events/fire-dancer-in-porto-night/