DJ Tennis captures the spirit of the world’s biggest party, Carnaval, with a series of photos of the celebrations across Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo taken on his trusty film camera.
DJ Tennis has just wrapped a week immersed in Brazil’s Carnaval, moving between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo while documenting the experience on 35mm film.
More than a run of parties, the trip reflects a long-standing connection between the Life and Death founder and Brazil. Over the years, DJ Tennis has built deep friendships within the country’s music community, and this visit saw him reconnect with collaborators while beginning work on new music alongside local percussionists.
The journey also marked a milestone for his label Life and Death, which returned to Brazil for the first time in eight years with a series of events across both cities.
Carnaval’s scale and spontaneity offered a rare backdrop for the trip – a collision of cultures, rhythms and street-level celebration that blurred the lines between club culture and community ritual.
“Carnival in Brazil feels like landing on a different planet,” DJ Tennis says. “As a DJ, I’m not used to seeing the whole world spill into the streets at once, different cultures, habits, backgrounds, all dancing together like it’s the most natural thing ever. It’s chaos, it’s roots, it’s music everywhere. I’m just happy I get to capture it on film, one sweaty, beautiful, slightly unbelievable frame at a time.”
The images form a candid snapshot of DJ Tennis in motion – between parties, collaborations and the vibrant energy of Carnaval itself – capturing a moment where travel, culture and music converge.
Explore the full photo diary below for a closer look inside DJ Tennis’s week in Brazil.