Gisella Benavides

Lima, Peru
Born in 1978

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Work

Gisella is a commercial photographer with a strong portfolio of personal projects and exhibitions. She has been dedicated to gastronomic, advertising, fashion, and editorial photography for over 20 years.

She collaborates with renowned magazines such as Maxim, Forbes Magazine, Hola Perú, Casa y Más, G de Gestión, Sommelier, and J del Jockey Plaza. Her clients include esteemed names like Virgilio Martínez and Central Restaurante (awarded 3 Michelin stars and ranked No.1 in the World's 50 Best Restaurants and No.1 in Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2023), Subaru, PromPerú, Mitsuharu Tamura from Maido Restaurante (No.5 in the World's 50 Best Restaurants), Diners Club, and Procter & Gamble, among others.

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Gisella has been a photography professor at the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC) since 2014, where she teaches in the Graphic Design program and was recognized as Outstanding Professor of 2014.

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She also teaches Product Photography, Advertising Photography, and Studio Lighting at the Peruvian Institute of Art and Design (IPAD) and has been instructing General Photography at the Professional Photography Workshop since 2014. Additionally, she has taught Photography for Architecture at UPC (2015-2016) and Fashion Photography in the Fashion Design and Management program at UPC (2018).

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Beyond academia, she is actively involved in organizing food styling and photography workshops featuring international experts through her company, Lima Workshops.

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Publications

• Landscapes for the book Central by Virgilio Martínez (Central Restaurante), Phaidon Editorial, 2017.

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Awards & Recognitions

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• 2008 – Finalist in the VI Roberto Villagraz Photography Scholarship at EFTI - School of Photography, Image Center (Madrid, Spain).

• 2009 – Winner of the Calahorra Photo Contest in La Rioja, Spain.

• 2011 – Jury member for the National Photographic Contest on Water in Rural Areas (PRONASAR) (Lima, Peru).

• 2014 – First place winner in the Monthly Challenge: Monochrome at the School of Photography, Image Center (Madrid, Spain).

• 2014 – Finalist and Honorable Mention at the Repsol Award – Lima Photo International Fair.

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Exhibitions

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• February 2024 – Exposición de Arte: Rostros y Rincones de Lima - Túnel del Arte (Lima, Peru).

• November 2022 – Diálogos Sobre Papel / Sin Fronteras (Dialogues on Paper / Without Borders), Casa de la Cultura Pedro Ángel Palau Pérez (Puebla, Mexico).

• April 2020 – I International Spring Exhibition 2022 - International Art Exhibit, Mombó Art Gallery (Seville, Spain).

• August 2014 – Lima Photo - International Fair 2014 (Lima, Peru). Finalist and Honorable Mention in Premio Repsol.

• August 2011 – Mirada Urbana (Collective Exhibition), Indigo Gallery (Lima, Peru).

• February 2010 – Personal Diary (Collective Exhibition), BLUE, D76 Photo Gallery (Lima, Peru).

• November 2009 – SmOg (Collective Exhibition), D76 Photo Gallery (Lima, Peru).

• September 2009 – II Exhibition of Peruvian Film - A Look to the South (Barcelona, Spain).

• May 2009 – International Video Art Festival “LOOP - A Wink to the South” - Peruvian Shorts Exhibition, 2nd Edition (Barcelona, Spain).

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Education & Training

Masterclasses & Workshops

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• January 2023 – EFTI & LIBREE (Madrid, Spain)

  • Masterclass with Eugenio Recuenco: Creative Process and Photographic Style.

• August 2019 – Lima, Peru

  • Pastry Techniques of Food Styling workshop with Marcela Lovegrove (Argentina), organized by Lima Workshops.

  • Also served as the official workshop photographer.

• June 2019 – Lima, Peru

  • Creative Studio Photography with Scale Models – A course by Felix Hernandez Dreamphography (Mexico), organized by Lima Workshops.

• February 2019 – Lima, Peru

  • Led Food Styling and Food Photography workshops through Lima Workshops.

• March 2019 – Lima, Peru

  • Invited to give a workshop on Food Photography and Food Styling at Le Cordon Bleu University.

• November 2018 – Lima, Peru

  • Workshops: The ABC of Food Styling and Basic Food Styling Techniques with Marcela Lovegrove (Argentina), organized by Lima Workshops.

  • Also served as the official workshop photographer.

• July 2017 – Domestika

  • Creative Studio Photography with Scale Models – A course by Felix Hernandez Dreamphography (Mexico).

• February 2015 – Node Center (Berlin - Barcelona)

  • Methods of Artistic Creation and Project Conception.

• September 2014 – Node Center (Berlin - Barcelona)

  • Art and Marketing: Promotion of the Artist in the Art Market.

• April 2013 – EFTI (Madrid, Spain)

  • New Illuminations: Narrative Foundations of Light – A course on cinematography lighting.

• March 2011 – Eugenio Courret Institute (Lima, Peru)

  • Creative Lighting.

• February 2009

  • Transformaciones – Digital workshop with Spanish photographer David Trullo.

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Academic Background

• 1995 – 1999 – Centro de la Imagen (Lima, Peru)

  • Professional Photography Degree.

• 1995 – Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI)

  • Photography Workshop.

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Additional Experience

• In January 2015, finalist in the Arte Lauga Prize – Venice Competition.

• In 2008, finalist in the VI Roberto Villagraz Scholarship at EFTI Photography School - Imaging Center (Madrid, Spain).

• Over 15 years of experience in graphic design and web design.

• In 2021, participated in still photography and cinematography for the independent film Night Watcher, winner of the Rome International Movie Awards for Best Mystery Movie (Australia).

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