Visual Artist Rafael Mantesso Is First Photographer to Use Sony’s Newly Announced Xperia X Smartphone
Brazilian visual artist, Rafael Mantesso, has become the first photographer to use the newly announced Xperia X smartphone from Sony. Touring Barcelona with a team of adorable dogs, Rafael used Xperia X’s all new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus to capture a selection of quirky photos and then characterised them with his unique illustrative style.
Mantesso turned to art three years ago while going through a divorce. He found himself living alone in an empty house with white walls after his wife left. But it was Jimmy Choo, his French Bull Terrier who inspired him to start drawing again, turning his life around when the images went viral on Instagram.
Now, in a brand new challenge, Rafael has stepped out from the white walls and used Barcelona as his latest canvas, enlisting a few furry friends from dog fashion designers Brott Dogs to lend a helping paw along the way.
The team of dogs included:
• Nela, 7, Greyhound – Peaceful, loving and quiet
• Sopa, 5, Flat-Haired Retriever – Gentle and bubbly
• Joy, 5, (no-one quite knows) – Active and thoughtful
• Pato, 3, Scotty – Adventurous and really curious
• Compi, 3, Wire-Haired Dachshund – Excitable and mischievous
• Eddie, 1, Jack Russell Terrier – Cute and really intelligent
Image ©Rafael Mantesso
Image ©Rafael Mantesso
Rafael photographed the lively hounds using Xperia X’s all-new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus feature, which was developed in close collaboration with Sony’s αTM camera engineers. The camera let him select the dog on the screen and then predicted its movement, letting him capture in perfect focus, free from blur.
After photographing the dogs around the city, Rafael took the photos back to his studio and put his own unique twist on them. The dogs were shown feeding pigeons outside Sagrada Familia, working the bar in the Gothic Quarter and dreaming of bones in one of the city’s many tavernas.
Rafael said: “It can be extremely challenging capturing photos of one animal, let alone six, but I was really surprised at how easy it was to get great shots of the dogs, even as they wriggled about and refused to sit still! The autofocus on Xperia X anticipated their movement and meant the images always came out without any blur.”
Jun Makino, Senior Manager, Product Experience Marketing at Sony Mobile said “Rafael has such a unique and recognisable style, so it’s great to have him on board as the first ambassador for our new Xperia X series smartphones. His photos are a true testament to both his talent and the quality of the Xperia X camera technology. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him.”
Sony Mobile’s new devices, Xperia X, Xperia X Performance and Xperia XA will be available from Summer 2016.
Image ©Rafael Mantesso
Image ©Rafael Mantesso
Image ©Rafael Mantesso
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
