Felipe Dana

photojournalist
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Sancler Rodrigues, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rodrigues said he has been smoking crack for 7 or 8 years. After I asked him to pose for a portrait, he went away and later came back with a differnt shirt and told me: “I didn’t think my old black shirt would look good in your photo, so I borrowed this from friend,”
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The markets are open around-the-clock, pulling in young mothers, truck drivers, the homeless, anyone looking to get high. They are known as "cracolandia," or crackland, the open-air bazaars found in some Rio de Janeiro slums where crack cocaine users can buy rocks of the drug and smoke it in plain sight, day or night. 

Brazil, according to some recent studies, has become the world's top consumer of crack cocaine, a cheap and highly addictive derivative of the coca plant grown in neighboring countries. An estimated 1 million crack users have become a frightening blight for the country, deeply troubling to government officials whose programs have done little to halt the drug's spread. 

Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addictions. 

A makeshift portrait studio — a scavenged chair set in front of a white backdrop, illuminated by two small lights — draws crack users from their dark, nightmarish surroundings. Some users open up and tell their stories, while others reveal it only through their eyes. 

Andre Oliveira, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Andre makes a living by collecting discarded, recyclable items on the streets.
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In this March 17, 2015 photo, Jose Mauricio Oliveira, 41, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addiction.
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Douglas Wallace, 26, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Collectively, the estimated 1 million crack users in Brazil are a frightening blight that's deeply troubling to government officials, whose programs have done little to halt the drug's march across the nation. Some recent studies have shown that Brazil now consumes more crack than any other country.
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Eduardo Santos de Souza, 46, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souza, a father of 8 children, with 4 different women, says he has cut down on his drug use and has a life outside crackland.
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Jorge, 35, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Teenage mothers, truck drivers, fathers, homeless, those struggling with mental illness - all manner of person can be found in Rio's cracklands.
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Anderson Pereira, 23, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pereira wears a T-shirt with a message that reads in Portuguese; "Nothing should seem natural." 
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Renato Dias, 39, writes in his notebook as he poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dias, who has been using crack for about 4 years, says he uses his notebook as a form of distraction. He writes about super heroes and dreams of becoming one.
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Patricia Sebastiao, 22, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patricia, who has a 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son, is pregnant with her third child. She said she is 6 or 7 months pregnant, but was not exactly sure.
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Daniela Pinto, 39, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Daniela who has been a crack user for 4 years, says she has been living in this crackland for about 4 months. She says she wants freedom, peace and love, but most importantly she wants to be freed from her addiction.
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Gangs
Areinha
Trauma
Drug Underworld
Missing
Zika
Rio Olympics
Baghouz
Mujahideen
Serra
Family Portraits
Ocupação
Summer Camp
Death and Denial
Fight for freedom
Ukraine
Mosul
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Sancler Rodrigues, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rodrigues said he has been smoking crack for 7 or 8 years. After I asked him to pose for a portrait, he went away and later came back with a differnt shirt and told me: “I didn’t think my old black shirt would look good in your photo, so I borrowed this from friend,”
X

‍

The markets are open around-the-clock, pulling in young mothers, truck drivers, the homeless, anyone looking to get high. They are known as "cracolandia," or crackland, the open-air bazaars found in some Rio de Janeiro slums where crack cocaine users can buy rocks of the drug and smoke it in plain sight, day or night. 

Brazil, according to some recent studies, has become the world's top consumer of crack cocaine, a cheap and highly addictive derivative of the coca plant grown in neighboring countries. An estimated 1 million crack users have become a frightening blight for the country, deeply troubling to government officials whose programs have done little to halt the drug's spread. 

Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addictions. 

A makeshift portrait studio — a scavenged chair set in front of a white backdrop, illuminated by two small lights — draws crack users from their dark, nightmarish surroundings. Some users open up and tell their stories, while others reveal it only through their eyes. 

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Andre Oliveira, 32, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Andre makes a living by collecting discarded, recyclable items on the streets.
X
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In this March 17, 2015 photo, Jose Mauricio Oliveira, 41, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Individually, the epidemic is comprised of people from all walks of life, some of whom once held jobs, some with loving families, who harbored dreams of a better existence, all lost to their addiction.
X
+ info
Eduardo Santos de Souza, 46, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souza, a father of 8 children, with 4 different women, says he has cut down on his drug use and has a life outside crackland.
X
+ info
Jorge, 35, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Teenage mothers, truck drivers, fathers, homeless, those struggling with mental illness - all manner of person can be found in Rio's cracklands.
X
+ info
Eduardo Santos de Souza, 46, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souza, a father of 8 children, with 4 different women, says he has cut down on his drug use and has a life outside crackland.
X
+ info
Eduardo Santos de Souza, 46, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a “cracolandia” or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Souza, a father of 8 children, with 4 different women, says he has cut down on his drug use and has a life outside crackland.
X
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Patricia Sebastiao, 22, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patricia, who has a 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son, is pregnant with her third child. She said she is 6 or 7 months pregnant, but was not exactly sure.
X
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Daniela Pinto, 39, poses for a portrait in an open-air crack cocaine market, known as a "cracolandia" or crackland, where users can buy crack, and smoke it in plain sight, day or night, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Daniela who has been a crack user for 4 years, says she has been living in this crackland for about 4 months. She says she wants freedom, peace and love, but most importantly she wants to be freed from her addiction.
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