In the film On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace we see the stunning work of Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso. He follows celebrated still-photographer Michael O'Neill on a trip through today's world of yoga. O'Neill, perhaps best known for his portraits of the famous and powerful, is a devoted practitioner. It is this devotion that drives him to record his striking images of the discipline. Veloso, in turn, delivers a fittingly beautiful film that also earns him one of the industry's most prestigious cinematography awards, The IMAGO International Award for Best Cinematography for Documentary Film. Veloso tells us about his experience working with O'Neill, director Heitor Dhalia, and the nimble ARRI AMIRA camera.
First of all, congratulations on winning the IMAGO documentary award. Can you tell us how the three of you came together for this project?
Thank you very much! Everything started a couple of years ago when Heitor met Michael on a beach during a New Year's Eve celebration. A few days later, Heitor called me asking if I'd be interested in shooting a documentary about a still photographer and yoga. I didn't hesitate at all. I promptly said yes. It was pure instinct because I had never shot a documentary before. And I didn't know Michael's work. But after I started looking at his amazing portfolio, I was sure this would be a fantastic opportunity to do something great, visually.
It must have been interesting working with a master like O'Neill. But what influence did he have on your images?
That was really interesting indeed. I sure learned a lot from him. We actually tried hard to distance our language from his. We wanted it to be as natural as possible and that the viewer could really sense when it was Michael's image on the screen. We wanted his images to really pop when they appeared, to create an impact on the viewer. It was actually easier to do then I had first imagined. His way of working is totally different from mine. He uses flashes and interacts a lot with the subject. I was trying the total opposite, to play only with available light and to not interfere much with the subjects and environment. It was actually really funny because in the beginning Michael, as the master he is, was really worried about the images we were capturing and was always asking things like are you sure you don't need more light here? I think he only relaxed a few weeks later after we showed him a selection of the images we had shot.
This film is indeed chock full of beautiful images. What kind of look were you after and how did it lend itself to the subject matter?
We thought a lot about how to shoot it. We were in love with the idea of making what we called moving stills. So, it was really intuitive to go for slow motion and extreme shallow depth of field. The purpose was to feel like it was a camera traveling though a picture, or the POV of a still camera trying to find the shot.
Copyright Adolpho Veloso
Full of beautiful images: On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace
How did you prepare for the challenges you would face, shooting in India for example?
Even though I had never shot a documentary before, I was somewhat used to a guerrilla style. So, I knew we needed to be light. One of the first decisions we made was to abandon the tripod. That thing can be heavier and more difficult to carry then all the rest! We put everything we had in one big bag. And that was it.
You often shot at high frame rates. You used Zeiss Super Speeds. But how did this influence your choice of camera?
As an ALEXA user 99% of the time, I was sure I didn't wanted to go with anything else but ARRI. So, the AMIRA was really an easy choice. 200 fps and fast lenses were essential for the look we were trying to get. Also, we couldn't risk bringing a camera that couldn't deal well with the extreme situations.
Were you operating alone? How did the ergonomics of the AMIRA help you?
Yes. I had one assistant that would help me with everything. But I was operating and pulling focus alone. For me the AMIRA is the digital camera with the best ergonomics, it perfectly fits the shoulder and has the perfect balance when you hold it from above for lower shots. Also, all the user buttons and the internal NDs were something that really saved us lots of time.
Copyright Adolpho Veloso
On the road for On Yoga (from left to right): Ducha Lopes, Heitor Dhalia, Michael O'Neill, Alexandre Bellelis, Adolpho Veloso, and James Weidner
Since completing this film you have again worked with Heitor Dhalia. Can you tell us what you are working on now?
We did a fiction feature based on a comic book called Tungsten. All set in Salvador, a city in the northeast of Brazil. Shot with the ALEXA Mini. And I just shot a Portuguese feature directed by Jo o Nuno Pinto called Mosquito, set in World War I in Mozambique. Also shot with the Mini. Right now I'm starting pre-production on an Argentinian feature directed by Felipe Gomez Apar cio called The Perfect David, which I'm hoping I can shoot with the Mini LF!
Related links:
www.adolphoveloso.com
www.instagram.com/adolphoveloso
Related Products AMIRA Go anywhere, shoot anything
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
In the film On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace we see the stunning work of Brazilian cinematographer Adolpho Veloso. He follows celebrated still-photographer Michael O'Neill on a trip through today's world of yoga. O'Neill, perhaps best known for his portraits of the famous and powerful, is a devoted practitioner. It is this devotion that drives him to record his striking images of the discipline. Veloso, in turn, delivers a fittingly beautiful film that also earns him one of the industry's most prestigious cinematography awards, The IMAGO International Award for Best Cinematography for Documentary Film. Veloso tells us about his experience working with O'Neill, director Heitor Dhalia, and the nimble ARRI AMIRA camera.
