Thai Pazetto by Jose Neto

A conversation with Thai

Who were you supposed to be in these images? Did you build a character, or did you stay true to yourself?

I didn’t really build a character. I think I allowed a very instinctive, artistic side of myself to come forward. I have a strong visual imagination, so I naturally respond to light, music, movement and atmosphere. I also really like the mysterious side of my personality — I don’t feel the need to reveal everything about myself. Very few people get to see all of me, and I think there’s something beautiful about leaving a little room for curiosity. I like when an image feels like it has a story behind it, even if you never fully understand what that story is.

How did the picture get made between you and the photographer — direction, silence, music, instinct?

A little bit of everything, but instinct probably led the way. There was direction, of course, but also a lot of space for silence and spontaneity. I have a very active artistic instinct, so sometimes a gesture, a look or a change in posture happens before I even think about it. I think the best images happen when you stop trying to control every detail and simply allow yourself to respond to the moment. The photographer and I were, in a way, listening to the same feeling.

Did some moments go off-script, and did you embraced them or discarded in the final images?

Definitely. And honestly, those are often the moments I love most. I don’t think everything beautiful needs to be controlled. Sometimes you just have to let the image become what it wants to become. There were definitely a few moments that gave me a little “Lana Del Rey in a strange universe” feeling — and I was very happy to keep them.

Btw, she’s my diva. Hahaha

Now that it’s finished, which frame do you recognize yourself in least and most?

I recognize myself most in the frames where I seem completely still. There’s a kind of quietness in them that feels very familiar to me. I recognize myself least in the moments that feel almost like another woman — more mysterious, more distant, perhaps a little cinematic. But maybe that’s also the most interesting part of photography: sometimes you discover a version of yourself that you didn’t know was there.

Special thanks

A special thank you to Igo, my stylist, my creative partner, and, above all, my best friend. He has been by my side for as long as I can remember, and somehow always knows how to translate the things I feel into an image before I even find the words for them. So much of my visual identity has been built alongside him. Having someone who knows you so deeply, yet still manages to see new versions of you, is something I never take for granted.