Brazilian photographer Rogerio Reis offers a tongue-in-cheek look into image ownership with these photos shot on Rio de Janeiro’s public beaches. In the series, called Nobody’s Nobodies, Reis uses John Baldessari-esque dots to obscure the identities of his human subjects.
“The use of colored dots over faces addresses the legal challenge of making candid shots of the bathers on Rio’s beaches,” says Reis. “The dot allowed me the freedom to openly practice photography in an era when it’s no longer possible without the prior permission of the people photographed.”
At Lens Culture, Reis lays out a useful primer on how to take candid shots on the beaches of Rio (or anywhere else). Included on the list is Banksy’s sage advice concerning his actions in public spaces: “It’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission.”
(h/t Lens Culture)