How Joel Santos uses print to tell stories

"Although our lives are increasingly digital, at heart we are still analogue beings," says Canon Ambassador Joel Santos. "More and more, we connect with people and exchange images on social media and instant messaging, but we still prefer material things. For photos, I believe nothing beats printing, and whenever I feel a picture is special, I like to print it."

Joel, based in Portugal, is a travel photographer and documentary filmmaker. His work focuses mainly on people living in traditional ways in remote locations around the world including China, Mongolia, India and Ethiopia. Printing his stories is an important aspect of his photography, whether for exhibitions and print sales or for gifting. "When you gift something you can physically own, hold, touch and smell, people value it more," he says.

Joel believes that printing has undoubtedly had commercial benefits for his business too. "Selling prints is not my main source of income, but I do have plenty of requests from businesses and from individuals who like my photos and want a print to hang on their wall," he says.

Here, Joel offers advice for storytelling with print and discusses the benefits of the Canon PIXMA PRO-200.

When shooting images, Joel doesn't think about their final purpose – whether that's being made into a framed print or gracing a magazine cover. Instead, he always aims to tell his own individual story and avoids simply trying to please his audience. "What happens with social media is that people often shoot what they know others will like, rather than what they really want to shoot," he says. "It fulfils a commercial purpose to some extent, but it makes you more like any other photographer.

When telling a story, Joel aims to shoot candid moments. "These moments are natural, not staged like most people do for Instagram or album photos," he says. "To escape any 'staged' feeling, it's best to avoid using flash as it ruins moments and draws attention to the photographer."

Joel recommends using a bright and inconspicuous lens such as the Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM or the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM. The great low-light performance of EOS R System cameras makes it possible to shoot in low light at a wide aperture without needing very high ISO settings, and also gives great separation between subject and background.

Joel's technique results in sharp, clear, low-noise prints that capture spontaneous moments and are very different from posed, flash-lit celebration pictures.

"If there isn't fluorescent or LED lighting, use the electronic shutter," Joel advises. "It will allow you to use a faster drive mode without making any sound, which will help you nail the perfect moment. With an EOS R System camera, it's also a good idea to enable Eye AF in Servo mode, since it will help you to be focused on composition rather than changing focus points."

Just as when you're shooting images, the same process of judging what's essential applies when choosing the best images to tell a story. Joel can start off with thousands of images on a particular subject, before gradually narrowing them down to the 10 or even five images that encapsulate what he wants to say.

"You have to get picky about what you print," he says. "When you do that, you start picturing in your mind what you really need to tell a story – how many pictures do you really need, are there any aspects that are missing, any gaps in the story you need to fill? A story needs rhythm, variety, different angles.

"The more you print, the more you improve as a photographer," Joel adds, because this process hones both your image-making and your storytelling skills for the next time you shoot. "It's better to understand what you need while you're in the field, rather than when you're back at home."

While post-production is a key part of the process, for Joel it's important to get the best possible image in-camera. "You should never see the editing process as a problem-solving step where you can correct your mistakes, but as one where you un-tap all the potential that a picture already contains," he says.

Joel has been using the Canon PIXMA PRO-200 printer since the beginning of 2021. The ideal choice for photo enthusiasts and aspiring photographers, the PIXMA PRO-200 offers an eight-colour dye-based ink system and wireless connectivity in a compact and lightweight body.

"Printing at home used to be a cumbersome process and the colour mismatch between what you saw on the screen and in your prints was a nightmare," says Joel. "I used to have my prints made by my favourite retailer, but now, with this printer, I get professional results that I'm very happy with.

"The way the software communicates with the printer is seamless," he continues. "It prints up to A3+, which for archiving and gifting is more than enough. For me, it fits the bill in every way possible, both for business and personal printing."

Joel has often gained new clients after they have seen prints of his images in exhibitions. "When people see a big print, where they can really appreciate what's in there, your perceived value as a photographer is actually enhanced," he says.

One of the main reasons Joel prints is for archiving purposes – so he has a permanent, high-quality record of his best images. "I print on the best possible papers so they are long-lasting," he says. "I also like to print big, preferably A3 size, so I can see all the wonderful, subtle details my camera can capture, because that's what I'm passionate about. It doesn't make sense to shoot on a Canon EOS R5 and then view the photos on a phone screen."

Joel's personal preference is for premium printing papers such as Canon's Pro Platinum, Pro Luster and Pro Premium Matte paper. "Pro Platinum is usually my choice for gifting, and I use the others for exhibitions or archiving," he says. "Canon produces excellent papers and pigments, so you get all the colour rendition and light gradation you see in the image on the screen."

For prints made as gifts for family and friends, Joel recommends printing at A4 size. "Although I love A3, most people don't have enough space on their walls to have framed prints of this size."

Both Joel and his wife Magali Tarouca (a fellow photographer) often give prints as gifts, not only to relatives and close friends but also for business contacts. "When you give just one photo, it's like a diamond, something that's unique and rare. It really is more personal and it shows that you care."

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