Running at Elevado Costa e Silva by Marcus Laranjeira

Captured at the Elevado Costa e Silva in São Paulo, this photograph documents the complex urban reality of an elevated avenue that transformed the surrounding residential landscape. The photographer joined a supervised group of professionals to safely navigate this challenging environment, capturing the raw intersection of urban decay and human presence. The image serves as a poignant social commentary on how infrastructure projects can reshape the lives of those living in their shadow. Its award-worthy quality lies in the photographer's ability to find profound, evocative storytelling within a volatile urban setting, turning a difficult location into a compelling visual narrative.

Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Marcus Laranjeira

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in São Paulo, Brazil, Marcus Laranjeira is a dedicated photographer who balances a professional career in mathematics and software development with his deep-seated passion for the visual arts. Since 2004, he has pursued a self-taught path, continuously refining his technical skills and artistic vision through rigorous study and practice. His work serves as a personal lens through which he explores the world and interprets his own emotions, consistently seeking to share his unique perspective with an international audience.

Current Location São Paulo, Brazil

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Award Winner Photo of the Day

Award Date June 21, 2010

68.5

AWARD SCORE

Value 13.0

Clarity 13.0

Composition 17.0

Style 13.0

Skill 12.5

Photograph Location

São Paulo, Brazil

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Black & White Photography

Marcus Laranjeira Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (14.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares

5.0/5 points

2,656/1,000 Social Share

Page Views

5.0/5 points

24,743/2,500 Page View

Reviews

2.8/5 points

55/100 Review

Submissions

1.3/5 points

128/500 Submission

Jury Score: 68.5/80

Resonance Score: 14.1/20

Total Award Score: 82.6/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 4

Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review

One suspects Laranjeira didn’t just stumble upon this concrete scar. Navigating the Elevado Costa e Silva requires a certain grit, and he’s clearly spent the hours necessary to let the urban decay settle into the frame. It’s a bleak, honest study of shadows and steel. I’ve spent enough time shivering on hillsides to recognize when someone’s actually done the work. He didn’t just take a picture; he endured the place until it finally spoke.

Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review

Stripped of chromatic distraction, the Elevado Costa e Silva reveals a brutal, monochromatic architecture that feels like a charcoal study by Morandi, where the absence of hue forces one to confront the heavy, suffocating weight of concrete. I’m haunted by the way the light clings to the jagged edges of the overpass; it’s a desolate, silver-grey silence that makes me ache for the warmth of a sun that simply doesn’t reach these forgotten, urban shadows.

Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review

Concrete veins slice through the sky, yet it’s the abyss beneath the Elevado that haunts me. Laranjeira understands that shadow isn't merely the absence of light; it’s where the city’s conscience hides. I’ve walked these brutalist corridors, and the crushing weight of the gray ink here feels personal, almost suffocating. He doesn't just document decay; he forces us to confront the void. It’s a heavy, necessary darkness that refuses to offer us any easy comfort.

Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review

Most urban photography feels like a frantic inventory of decay, but Laranjeira’s work at Elevado Costa e Silva avoids that trap. By framing the concrete sprawl against the fleeting human scale, he forces us to confront the crushing weight of infrastructure. I’ve stared at this for years, and it still makes my chest tighten. It’s the brutal contrast between the rigid, looming overpass and the runner’s vulnerability that ensures this will matter thirty years from now.

Reflections on this Photograph

By Priya Kapoor

The Grit of Concrete Breath

The taste of city air is metallic, a thin film of exhaust and pulverized stone that settles on the back of the tongue like a secret.

Read the reflection →

By Margaret Holt

The Concrete Pulse

We often speak of cities as if they were static things, carved from stone and set in place like monuments to our own permanence.