“I have been working with Luana Lorena since 2021, and I can say with complete confidence that she is an exceptional professional. Her ability to organize and systematize my files has been essential to my workflow, especially in locating images quickly and efficiently.
The way she structures the files is both meticulous and intuitive, which makes the entire searching process much more agile and functional — something fundamental given the large volume of content we currently produce.
I highly recommend Luana's work to any photographer or professional who needs a clear and efficient organizational system, that is adapted to the demands of the field. Her contribution has been valuable and transformative in my professional routine.
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Entrusting Luana with part of my grandfather's photographic archive was, for me, like sharing part of my family's memory and history with an attentive and sensitive interlocutor.
The method that Luana uses to manage the collection and reproduce the photographs shows her commitment to preserving "small" memories. I don't mean "small" in terms of value, but "small" in the sense that Luana is aware of the hidden beauty that a photograph can timidly carry. The harboring of the narratives and the genuine interest in the stories and people captured in that photographed moment encouraged me to seek out the small memories of my family; furthermore, in the context of the photographs having been taken by my grandfather, Hiroshi Ussami, the process of analyzing, preserving and reproducing part of the collection made me see the sensitive man that Mr. Hiroshi was (and is).
There is a photo of my grandmother, Teruko, taken by my grandfather, that I discovered in the archives during the process with Luana. I think this photo is the most beautiful photo in the world.
When I received the digital files, I sent them to the whole family. Now everyone has the most beautiful photo in the world of the one who gave birth to us all.
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I was Luana Lorena's advisor in the Fine Arts department at
USP and she carried out an impeccable project delivered in book form. From the curation and reproduction of family archives photographic images, a beautiful edition was conceived. Canção à poeira contains at the same time a loving look for family collections, an editorial sequence that promotes the integration of life experiences and a particular graphic solution.
This finely edited and printed work reveals mastery, a poetic look in the creation of the record and in the production of a publication about memory.
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Working with Luana Lorena means being certain that your collection will be in good hands. She combines unique sensitivity to the subject with extensive expertise in memory management and conservation.
More than that, Luana has a keen eye for collections and archives. She creates organizational systems that respect the essence of the projects she collaborates on, without ever neglecting fundamental points, such as preservation, security and organization of the pieces.
If your archive needs professional and specialized care, Luana is, without a doubt, the person I recommend.
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Sitting and looking at my family photos with Luana was an intimate and valuable process. Introducing my relatives and sharing the stories behind each photo—or imagining what they could have been—was an act of materializing and freezing these past experiences in the present moment. Luana’s deep conversations and attentive listening guided the curation of the photographs, resulting in sensitive and exquisite choices. The reproduction and treatment of the images followed the same values: precision, honesty regarding the possibilities, flexibility regarding the type of editing and, above all, deep respect for the material and the stories contained within. It is truly a privilege to have these images organized and reproduced with quality and care—even more so knowing that they comprise the moving work Song to the Dust, for which I have deep admiration and pride.
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Luana has been a great work partner over the past four years! We've collaborated in various formats, and in all of them I feel complete trust in her — both as a professional and as a person. She is extremely organized, responsible, and attentive. I wholeheartedly refer her work.
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Organizing my collection with Luana was like putting my house in order after living in chaos for a long time. She came in calmly, listened to everything, understood what I needed (even what I didn't even know I needed) and made everything beautiful, accessible and meaningful. It is rare to find someone so competent and easy-going at the same time. It became the kind of partnership we want for life!
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Looking at these photos with Luana was the first time I told someone their "story". In general, I was the one who listened to the story that came with them, from my elders. In conversations with Luana, other possibilities arose for talking about these images beyond what I was used to hearing, and for thinking about why those who had previously told me about them highlighted this or that aspect of the images. Why something had an impact on me before, what impacts me today, and what impacts me because I was told it had an impact. Through the path I found with Luana, these images opened up possibilities for conversations about ideas of family, migration, gender, resting, neighborhood, birth, and fantasy.
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From the beginning, Luana's interest, respect and care for the material and the stories it brought awakened in me a new vision about the treasures I had there.
She delved with me into endless stories and images of all kinds, taughting me the necessary care with the material and the secrets of the information that each material hides, due to its color, texture, age.
Conservation, reinterpretation, digitalization, restoration… All processes were filled with care and attention.
Today, I trust Luana for much more than archives, but it was through this dive that I first saw her work, her dedication and the incredible person that she is.
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