Capturing Perfect Love: Interview with Cristina Pujol

We love Cristina's work, whose photos convey the joy, love, vulnerability, challenges and magic surrounding childhood and motherhood. A few months ago, we had the honor of having her photograph our Spring/Summer 2024 collection campaign. We took the opportunity to conduct a brief interview with her.

What led you to focus your themes on childhood and motherhood?

Becoming a mother led me to dedicate my time, my gaze and my energy to the little ones. Motherhood was a great revolution for me, it shook me so much that I took a turn in my professional trajectory and began photographing my own motherhood, I couldn't stop. Afterwards, I began with my friends, their children, then my friends' friends and so on endlessly. It seemed like brutal work to capture every moment, every instant, to freeze the time that doesn't return. We are little only once in life and from there I specialized in motherhood and children, up until today (almost 9 years now).

Was photography always your career? Tell us a bit about your trajectory.

Well no, I haven't always dedicated myself to photography. I studied 4 years of graphic design, finished my studies and worked in some design studios, but although it wasn't bad, I felt that it didn't really make me vibrate, that I was missing the social part. A few years later I began studying to become a teacher and finished my degree in special education. I worked at a school and at one point I was left without a job and pregnant (yes, all at the same time), so I took advantage of my pregnancy to study photography more in depth (I already had some base knowledge and really liked it). I studied for a year until giving birth to my first daughter, who showed me my total vocation: motherhood photography. My first year was taking photos of everything, I was passionate about creating memories, first for myself and over time for more moms.

How has being a mother transformed you?

Being a mother has been and is a journey. It has made me change my view of the world and of myself. For me, being a mother is traveling on a boat with daily lessons. Thanks to motherhood I have discovered my great vocation that has become my profession. I feel grateful to enjoy my work every day. Grateful also to my daughters who are path, mirror and motivation.

Tell us a bit about your daughters. What are the main challenges and joys of having them?

Well, my daughters are my joy every day, they help me be my best version and are a daily learning experience. Although motherhood can sometimes be idealized, in reality mothering is an act of sincere and unconditional love: fatigue, little time for you and your hobbies, a utopian work-life balance, many doubts, guilt and a long etcetera. My daughters often take me out of my comfort zone and shake me hard, but at the same time they are poetry, inspiration, creativity and light. 

How was your experience photographing the Spring/Summer 2024 "Footprints in the Outback" campaign for Red Caribou?

Well the truth is that doing photo shoots with children always delights me, and even more so if it's beautiful, responsible and committed brands that take care of every detail. Red Caribou was one of the first brands to trust in my vision and for me they are home and total confidence, so I was happy to be able to do their Spring/Summer 2024 campaign since it is pure inspiration.

To finish, do you have a Spirit Animal?

Well yes, my spirit animal is the dolphin, I like everything about it and I find it a fascinating animal: for its delicacy, for its intelligence, for everything. Sometimes I feel that I identify a bit with it, since I am fascinated by water, it is my environment. Years ago I started swimming to strengthen my back and it is a place where I feel very me: free and wild, I believe it represents me a lot. Its communicative zeal is also brutal.

Thank you so much Cristina for this lovely interview!

Follow her on Instagram: @banyadorderatlles