For those who haven’t seen this photograph before, here’s the first thing you should know: it has not been altered by AI.
But I decided to share it here to talk about AI, because I believe it perfectly illustrates everything I’ve been hearing about how we need to navigate its impact on our work and our lives.
This extraordinary shot of two dragonflies perched on the tips of bayonets was captured in 1967 (long before digital cameras existed) by photographer Evandro Teixeira, my father.
He was covering a ceremony celebrating Brazil’s Soldier’s Day at the Monument to the Fallen Soldiers in Rio de Janeiro for Jornal do Brasil. The event was attended by the country’s then-president, General Costa e Silva. Brazil was living under a military dictatorship.
The photograph was prominently featured on the newspaper’s front page. The government censor, who was stationed inside the newsroom, failed to grasp the irony of the image and approved its publication. Meanwhile, the actual coverage of the ceremony, featuring the president, appeared on an inside page.
Evandro had an extraordinary gift for capturing the context of every scene he encountered. He was never satisfied with simply documenting the obvious. He observed everything around him and masterfully composed the elements that interested him within his camera’s viewfinder — whether using a manual camera or, later, a digital one. The technology didn’t matter.
His photographs conveyed messages and emotions. Whether covering politics, sports, fashion, or ordinary moments in people’s everyday lives, he had a remarkable ability to capture extraordinary images.
He also seemed perpetually ready to immortalize a fleeting moment — something only he could see, even when surrounded by a crowd. Evandro used to say that luck was on his side, but we know how much he did to make that luck happen.
And what drove his brilliance?
Curiosity, adaptability, critical thinking, a keen understanding of context, and a deep connection with people.
These are precisely the qualities that AI experts from across different fields have been emphasizing at conferences and events — qualities we must not only preserve, but actively strengthen.
So that we can ride the enormous wave of AI without being swept away by it.
Strengthening what makes us human.
How many seconds did those dragonflies remain perched on the bayonets? Not even Evandro could say.
But it doesn’t matter.
Thanks to his extraordinary eye, we can admire them there forever.
Carina Almeida, Managing Partner of Textual Comunicação
