Aimeri Baddouh
Photographer · Cuenca, Ecuador
I photograph people and products. I got into it through the optics — once I started reading about how lenses actually work, I really lost myself in the technical side. My paid work is product photography and studio portraiture. The nature shots in the portrait gallery are personal; that’s where I started. All of it comes back to controlling light and shadow. It’s like an oil painting, but made with a camera and the eye.
My work splits into three areas. Portraits — studio sittings and on-location work around Cuenca. Product photography in two modes: dark single-light studio shots, and flat-lays on saturated paper backdrops.
I work with local artisans and small businesses, expat families, international e-commerce brands, and visitors who want portraits while they’re in town. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Most of my paid work has been product photography. Small businesses tend to find me on Instagram. Before I say yes, I look at the products and the brand and see if I can come up with an idea for the shoot — if nothing comes to mind, I’ll pass. From there it’s a few emails back and forth: brand, timeline, what you actually want from it.
Why Cuenca
We left the U.S. because of the escalating persecution of latinos there. I’m Brazilian. Getting out was the goal — anywhere we could move to as a family would have worked. My wife did the research and Ecuador came out on top: dollar economy, most cities are pretty safe in spite of the cartel reputation. Cuenca specifically because the city carries old European, Cañari, and Inca culture all at once. It’s affordable, beautiful, and safe. We were falling in love with it before we even moved. The Cañari side of it has hit me hardest.